


Petrichor

by Dianascanary



Series: A USWNT Universe [5]
Category: Women's Soccer RPF
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Girl Penis, Light Angst, Love Triangles, Out of Character, Romance, Single Parents, YouTube
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-17
Updated: 2020-04-21
Packaged: 2021-03-01 04:01:55
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 19,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23188930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dianascanary/pseuds/Dianascanary
Summary: "Boy do I wish I had your problems. You have two eligible, successful, and hot alphas fawning over you, and you think that's a problem?"Kayla incessantly shakes her head. Her hair waves ever so slighty in the draft she creates. It's a much welcome reprieve from the heat of Central Park.How did Cassandra not see the distress this had put her under? It was a curse not a blessing. She put her self into this mess and she was going to have to take herself someohow, someway."I'm going to have to decide. Preferably, before they find out about each other."But that was proving to be much more of a herculean feat than she was expecting.
Relationships: Alex Morgan/Original Female Character(s), Ashlyn Harris/Ali Krieger, Carli Lloyd/Hope Solo, Christen Press/Original Female Character(s), Kelley O'Hara/Original Female Character(s)
Series: A USWNT Universe [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1449586
Comments: 28
Kudos: 106





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Now, lets clear up a couple things first. Yes, I know who the ending pairing is. No, I will not enlighten you. Now, if you see this going one way, let me know and I'll adjust my ending if need be so it's more natural and doesn't seem like I had some agenda the entire time. I love both of these wonderful ladies and the pairing I chose just went better with the story imo (this is based off a dream I had and this is how it went in the dream). Okay, on with the story.

_"Everything, has changed." ___

____

New York City is five hundred percent a horrible place to be. There's no question about it. It stinks, it's hot, and there's just so many damn people.

It's one of the reasons she skipped out on going to the gym often. That, and residual laziness really.

The only reason why she was here now was because the gym in her apartment building was being "remodeled". In reality, she thinks someone finally died in there and they're cleaning up the evidence. 

It was, of course, packed. It was toward the middle of the city, but it was the only one you didn't need a one hundred dollar plus membership to workout in. 

Her graduate student wallet couldn't take that, but it could take planet fitness' free trial. She wasn't going to be in there long anyway.

She was only doing enough exercise to burn off about 500 calories, so she could put them back on at her bestfriend's gathering later that night. 

The way she works out this should only take about three miles on the elliptical and 4 reps of the 40 pound bar. She'll be out in like an hour. Which is great, because she didn't know how much more she could take of alphas staring at her ass, and the smell. Oh God, the smell.

The ass ogling may very well be her fault. These new floral fabletics leggings just fit her too damn perfectly and she definitely should have saved them for when she could afford the expensive gym that could afford scent filters. No seriously, it stunk so bad her eyes were watering.

She aimed to get started on the elliptical, only to be hindered when the damn thing won't turn on. She presses every single button around and nothing happens.

She must be very obviously struggling because someone walks over and takes pity on her. There's a bang of machinery and then suddenly her feet are spiraling.

"Sometimes these things need a good kickstart." A soft, alpha voice says conversationally.

"Thank you. Do you work here?"

"Me? Oh, no. Just come here often enough to know that it's shit." 

The soft voiced alpha woman, is absolutely gorgeous, like so gorgeous she wonders why she would even dare step foot in a place like this.

"I'm Christen." She holds out her hand.

"Kayla." The handshake is firm. Like Christen has been doing it frequently for a while now.

"Nice to meet you, Kayla." Christen decides to get onto the machine right next to her. Something, Kayla is sure, was not going to happen originally. She's flattered to say the least.

"Sorry if this seems too forward, but you're really pretty, and I was wondering if you wanted to go out sometime. I don't normally do this type of thing and I feel very weird right now, so please say yes so I can stop talking and embarrassing myself-" Christen holds out a sleek blue business card (someone used vistaprint). Kayla places it back into her hand with her number scrawled onto the back. Apparently, Christen is the type that carries business cards and pens in her gym shorts.

"I would like that, Christen." Kayla smiles, amused at Christen's sudden change of confidence. She walked over with so much, and then suddenly it was gone. Kayla found that endearing.

"Oh! That's nice. Um, I didn't think this far ahead, okay. Shit." Kayla just lazily steps/pedals on the elliptical as she watches Christen flounder.

"I'll call you later with details?" She got it!

"I'm looking forward to it." 

"Great. I'm going to walk away now because my break was up like 15 minutes ago."

Kayla chuckles to herself as the woman slowly walks away.

☆☆☆☆

The party is in full swing by the time she gets there. She did that on purpose.

Cassandra is nowhere to be found so she takes that as her opportunity to start stuffing her face with hor d'oeuvres.

Unlike herself, Cassandra had graduated with her bachelor's in education and decided that was enough. Soon after she met her alpha, Alex, and they settled down in suburbia rather quickly.

Kayla hadn't wanted just her bachelor's in education. She wanted her master's because she's a perfectionist. She's in her second year of grad school through NYU. Cassandra had told her it wasn't necessary. It was a waste of time. She wouldn't get paid more or enter in a higher position than she would have with just her bachelor's. But Kayla didn't listen.

It was hard to keep up their friendship as Cassandra got deeper into it with Alex, and Kayla got deeper into her studies. They haven't talked nearly as much as Kayla would like. 

That's what she came here tonight to fix. Alex and Cassandra had gathered many of their closest friends for some sort of get together. Kayla wasn't asking questions, she was just there for Cass and the food.

A tap to her shoulder startles her almost enough to drop her crab puff. She turns around to face the perpetrator. 

"Having fun there?" Cass says with a concerned look. In her defense, Kayla's mouth is visibly full and she looked downright capable of murder with the prospect of dropping her snack.

"Cass!" It's a bit muddled, with the full mouth and all, but the point is delivered. She hastily chews and swallows. Somehow without choking to death.

"Hello, beautiful! How have you been?" Cassandra looks a bit miffed at the fact that she has to ask that, but she's still curious.

"I'm good. School is fine. You know me." Kayla just shrugs. She smiles politely as Alex approaches behind Cassandra's shoulder.

"Hello, Alex."

"Hi, Kayla. Do you mind if I steal this one away for a sec?" She does. She does mind a whole lot, but it doesn't seem she has much of a choice as Alex leads her omega away.

"So much for getting your best friend back." Kayla mumbled to herself. She headed toward one of the beverage collections, grabbing a spring water. She opened it and took a sip.

A few seconds later, there's a tapping of metal against glass and everyone's attention is drawn toward the center of the livingroom.

"Okay, first we would like to thank everyone for coming. You're probably wondering why you're all here." Alex inquired, and the room nods along.

"Well, we have an announcement...we're pregnant!" 

Kayla isn't quite sure why it seems like the room is suddenly closing in on her. Maybe she ate too much too quickly, or maybe that feeling that everyone is moving so quickly without her is finally starting to really penetrate her psyche.

It's not until then that she realizes both of the happy couple's parents are here and everyone is congratulating them and she should be too, but she can't.

She needs some air.

She settles for the kitchen, it would be too hot outside, and someone would surely see her leave. There isn't anyone in there as far as she can see, so she darts into it.

"Some party, huh?" 

Kayla jumps so harshly, her off the shoulder blouse switches to being off the other shoulder.

The woman, an alpha if the way she's standing is anything to go by, sips lazily on a beer. She's barely taller than Kayla herself, and yet vaguely familiar.

"Uh, it's okay." Kayla cowers a bit under the woman's gaze. She fumbles with the cap of her water and deftly takes another sip. 

"Yeah. There's going to be another Alex running around. Get right with your God while you can." A smirk slips out from behind the beer bottle.

Kayla laughs a bit, "Do I know you? You seem familiar."

The woman seems to hesitate a bit before holding out her hand, "Kelley. I don't think you do know me." Kayla shakes her hand happily.

"Kayla."

Kelley nods, "So how do you know Thing 1 and Thing 2 in there?"

"Cass and I went to college together. I was with her the day she met Alex actually." 

"Was it love at first sight?" Kelley takes another sip of her beer.

"Not at all. We both hated her. She said something stupid. For the life of me, I can't remember what it was, but it was very stupid. But, she kept coming back and somehow she got Cass to fall in love with her somewhere in there." Kayla smiles a bit bittersweetly.

"And you?"

"Huh?"

"How do you feel about Alex?" Kelley smiles conspiratorially.

"I-it doesn't matter how I feel about Alex. She treats Cass nice so that's enough for me. Anyway, how do you know them? Are you family?"

"Depends on who you ask."

"Oh."

There's a lull in the conversation, before Kayla speaks up again.

"Do you know what time it is? I have class in the morning."

Kelley pulls out her phone, she turns the screen on revealing the time (9:48) and her phone wallpaper.

"Who's that?" Kayla asks with a nod toward Kelley's phone. 

Kelley hesitates again, this time it seems like she's really battling with herself.

"My daughter. Abigail." And there it is. A flash of disappointment flutters across Kayla's face momentarily.

"Oh. You're mated?" It was odd. Normally, you could simply tell by smell if someone was mated. Kayla didn't know how to explain it, but biology was weird. Basically, Kelley didn't smell mated. Kayla took a step away. If she was mated, they were probably standing a bit too close to be considered kosher.

"No." Kelley takes a step or two closer. Leaving them a bit closer than they were before. It's simple and leaves Kayla with more questions than answers but she doesn't ask any of them. 

Eventually, Kelley takes pity on her.

"The result of a one night stand. I thought the hangover I had to deal with the next day was the last thing I had to attribute to her, then 9 months later there's a knock on my door and baby on my doorstep. All pretty dramatic if you ask me."

Kayla listened attentively as Kelley spoke. She had a feeling she didn't talk about this much to anyone.

"I wouldn't give the kid up for anything, though. She's kind of the reason why we have a roof over our head." Kelley frowned for a second before taking another sip of her beer.

Kayla studied the alpha for a long moment. Then, she gasped. "That's where I recognize you from! You have a YouTube channel about parenting. They've shown a couple of your videos in my classes before." Kayla mumbles the last part a bit shyly, realizing she may have been a bit too excited just then.

Kelley sighed, "Damn. I was hoping I could get away without that coming up."

"Why?"

Kelley scrunched her nose up and winced. "It's embarrassing."

"I don't think it is. From what I've seen, you're a good mother. And you're helping others. That's nothing to be embarrassed about." Kayla smiles softly and touches a hand to Kelley's shoulder.

It's then that their isolation is finally broken. Alex steps into the kitchen with an odd look on her face. Kelley shrugs off Kayla's hand with a roll of her eyes.

"There you are, Kayla. Cass was looking for you. What are you doing in here?" Alex narrows her eyes at Kelley slightly, who only shrugs and chugs the rest of her beer.

"I was just cooling down from the rager you're throwing in there." It's slightly sarcastic, and Kayla isn't sure where the confidence is coming from, but it's much appreciated. She can practically feel Kelley's body loosen from its tense state Alex had caused.

"Ohhkay. Well, don't be a stranger." Alex walks back into the main room with a confused shake of the head.

"That was weird."

Kelley only nods slowly, staring down into the empty beer bottle.

"Well, um, I better head out. It was nice meeting you, Kelley. And thanks for keeping me company." 

"Uh, yeah. No problem."

Kayla heads for the exit, but stops suddenly, "Oh, and Kelley?"

Kelley looks up from the bottle, "Yeah?"

"Abigail is beautiful. She looks exactly like you." Kayla turns back around without another glance. She slips out of the front door and towards her car.


	2. Two

_"Cupid must have wrote a love story in the dark. Oh, sloppy Cupid. Doomed us from the start." ___

__"Walk me through it one more time." Crystal's lip quivers as she tries not to laugh. And she's trying really, really hard._ _

__"No, you're going to laugh." A petulant pout overtakes Christen's lips. It's an odd look on her. She's sitting in a desk chair that anyone else would probably describe as something just shy of a throne. And she's dressed head to toe in an Armani suit that someone else picked out for her._ _

__Crystal, her assistant, shakes her head profusely. If she was going to laugh, she would have done it already. She was simply holding it in for Christen's sake. If it were anyone else she would have cracked up in their face, but her boss seemed quite miffed with the situation._ _

__"I promise I won't." She insisted. Christen narrowed her eyes, then sighed. She grabbed her soccer stress ball off of her mahogany desk. She throws it into the air once, twice, three times before speaking._ _

__"I saw her walk in and may or may not have dropped a 15 poud weight on my toe. She got on the elliptical and it wouldn't work, so I decided that was my opening. I walked over, kicked it with the same probably broken foot, then I asked her out. There." Christen glared at her assistant who snickered profusely._ _

__"Now hold on. You're forgetting a part." Crystal looks down at the legal pad that had been sitting in her lap. She perused the page before tapping on a particular spot._ _

__"Ah hah! You pulled a business card out of your fucking gym shorts like an absolute psychopath." This must be the final nail in the coffin as she finally howls in laughter, "I'm surprised any of that actually worked. Are you sure she gave you her actual number and not someone else's? Like a cop's?"_ _

__"We'll address the fact that you're taking notes on my love life in your quarterly evaluation, but to answer your question I have no idea. I completely embarrassed myself in front of her, but she was smiling like she found it cute."_ _

__Crystal eyed the look on her employer's face, "You know I'm just messing with you, Chris. I'm sure you completely charmed her. Besides, there's only one way to find out." Crystal nodded her head towards Christen's personal phone which had been haphazardly placed on top of a stack of meeting notes._ _

__"You're right. I need to redeem myself." Christen grabbed her phone, and searched for Kayla's name in her contacts._ _

__Crystal rolled her eyes. Alphas were so weird. She's about to leave the office and give Christen some semblance of privacy, when a framed picture, sitting on one of the many counters in the room, catches her eye._ _

__"Hey, Chris. Hate to burst your bubble, but are we just supposed to act like Julie doesn't exist?"_ _

__Christen gave a heavy pause, she sighed and looked up at Crystal, "We've been broken up for two months, so yes."_ _

__"Yeah, but I don't know if that's how that works."_ _

__Christen sounds tired when she speaks next, "Just drop it, Crystal."_ _

__Crystal sighed and shook head, "Fine. Don't forget you have a meeting with Spectrum at 12:30 this afternoon."_ _

__"I won't. Thank you." Crystal let's the door close behind her._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__"Could you knock for once? What if I was naked?" Kelley frowned as she padded into her livingroom, wiping the sleep from her eyes._ _

__"Why would you walk around naked? You're roommates with a two year old alpha. She'd most definitely try to punch you in the dick." The intruder exclaimed as she pushed passed Kelley into the kitchen area._ _

__"Roommate would imply that she pays rent. I keep telling her to get a job, but everytime I do she just stares at me then asks for more cheerios. I'm all cheerio-ed out!" Kelley grips her hair dramatically._ _

__"Which is exactly why I bought you some real breakfast." As if on queue the sound of small feet slapping furiously against hardwood is heard._ _

__"How do you keep escaping your jail cell?" Kelley asked, peering down at her daughter with a confused glare._ _

__"Stop calling her crib a jail cell."_ _

__"There's bars. I lock those bars. And she's supposed to not be able to get out of those bars. Sounds plenty like a jail cell to me. One time she even ran her sippy cup along the bars."_ _

__"Aunt Hopey!" Abigail shouted. She had a wonderul knack for distracting her aunt so she didn't choke her mother to death._ _

__"Hi, Abby. Are you hungry?"_ _

__Abby nodded happily._ _

__"She likes to act like she'll starve here. I feed you, too." Abigail just stared blankly at her mother as she chewed on a peice of pancake Hope handed her._ _

__"Anyway. Why am I here?"_ _

__Kelley's brows furrowed, "I don't know. You just showed up."_ _

__"No. You texted me last night asking me to come over."_ _

__Kelley raised an eyebrow as she checked her phone. It was very plausible. Sounded like something she would do, but she'd be lying if she said she had any recollection of doing it._ _

__The One With The Kid: v v upset. Told cutteeee omega me lifes storie. Wanna sex her but Alex look at me mean. Pls cum huggg my. Read at 10:03 pm._ _

__"Wow. Drunk at only ten o'clock? I might have a problem."_ _

__"You think?"_ _

__"Well, it looks like I already told you why you're here. I told a very cute omega my entire life's story and I was totally going to go home with her if Alex hadn't have ruined it. And I was like completely sober at that point."_ _

__"Do you still want that hug?"_ _

__"Will you try to choke me?"_ _

__"Probably."_ _

__"Then yes."_ _

__"Sometimes I wonder if your child is actually parenting you instead of the other way around." Hope rolled her eyes then got to setting up the rest of the food she had brought._ _

__"So, what actually happened last night. I'm sure Alex threw an absolute rager." Hope chuckled at ger own joke._ _

__"Kayla made the same joke."_ _

__"Who the hel-heck is Kayla?"_ _

__"The cute omega. She walked into the kitchen, where I was hiding. We got to talking and I don't know, I just started telling her things." Kelley explained as she calmly pulled a piece of pancake her daughter would have most definitely choked on out of her hands. She handed it back to her after ripping it in half._ _

__"Do you think-"_ _

__"You know, I hate that question."_ _

__Hope sighed and poked at her eggs, "It has to be asked, Kel. When was the last time you voluntarily gave any type of information about yourself to a stranger?"_ _

__"Never."_ _

__"Exactly. Maybe she's the one." Hope shrugged, she eyed her best friend. Kelly just sat silently and watched her daughter eat._ _

__"I don't know. She saw my phone background and asked about it. And I only hesitated a little bit. She smelled great." Kelley's eyes took on a bit of a dreamy look, and Hope just chuckled to herself._ _

__"Did she recognize you?"_ _

__"Not at first, but I guess I said something and it jogged her memory. She said she had seen some of my videos in her classes."_ _

__Hope's eyes widened dramatically, "Oh my God, Kel. How old is she?!"_ _

__"She's friend's with Alex and Cass. Met them in college, so I'm assuming she's talking about Grad school." Kelley laughed as the turmoil slowly drained from Hope's face._ _

__"That was close. So, she knows about the kid, your job, and she still didn't run for the hills? Please, tell me you got this girl's number."_ _

__"But you don't like it when I lie to you."_ _

__"Kelley!" Hope admonished._ _

__Abby, assuming this is just a game of word association yells as well, "Mama!"_ _

__"What?! After Alex walked in she just abruptly left. She had a class this morning." Kelley shrugged._ _

__"Kelley, it's Saturday."_ _

__"Oh yeah."_ _

__"Then why did she leave? What did Alex say exactly?"_ _

__"She glared at me a bit when she saw me with her. She said Cass had been looking for Kayla, but Kayla didn't really seem to care. Then Alex left. Kayla said that was weird, then she said she had to go. That was it. I think she noticed Alex being weird to me, and it scared her off somehow."_ _

__Hoped nodded as she listened, "Why was Alex glaring at you anyway? I thought you guys were cool with each other again."_ _

__"I never try to venture into Alex's mind. I imagine I'd go insane. I think she was just being an alpha really. She probably thought she had an obligation to protect her." Kelley shrugged once more, "It's okay. If I really wanted her number I'd just get it from Cass."_ _

__"You should really want her number."_ _

__Kelley didn't say anything. She just chewed the inside of her lip as she continued to monitor her daughter's eating._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__"Should I have dressed up a little more?" Kayla asked, self consciously lookimg down at her sweater and skinny jeans._ _

__"Oh, no! Sorry, I just came from work." Christen gestured at her suit with a nonchalant wave of her hand._ _

__"Well you look nice."_ _

__"So do you." Christen smiled at Kayla soflty. She held the door opened for the omega as they got to it._ _

__"Did you want anything?" Christen gestured to the menu floating over the employees heads._ _

__"Um, sure a white chocolate mocha, please."_ _

__Christen nodded, "An excellent choice. I think I discovered the drug of coffee back in college. A white chocolate mocha was my gateway drug into plain black. I'm thinking about enrolling my self into coffee-holics anonymous."_ _

__Kayla laughed lightly, "I totally understand. I don't think I'd pass my midterms if I didn't have at least two shots of espresso on study nights."_ _

__Christen placed their order and patiently waited for it to be filled, "What are you studying?"_ _

__"I'm earning my master's in education. Would love to be an administrator some day." A big smile spreads across Kayla's face and Christen can't help but find it contagious._ _

__"You'd make a wonderful administrator one day, I'm sure." When the order is ready, Christen retrieves them and leads the two of them toward an alcove in the back of the coffeeshop._ _

__"Thank you. Everyone thinks I'm crazy for staying in school so long."_ _

__"Do you think it will be beneficial for you in the long run?" Christen asked as she took a sip of her black coffee._ _

__"Absolutely."_ _

__"Then who cares what everyone else thinks." Christen says matter of factly. There's a spark in Kayla's eye that sort of snatches Christen breathe right out of her chest._ _

__"That's a bit easier said than done. But, enough about me. What do you do thats got you so dressed up?"_ _

__Christen's eyes winded a bit. She was hoping that she could avoid that question. People always seem to freak out a bit when theh realize she'd could probably buy a private island for them if she wanted to._ _

__"I work at a marketing agency. Royal Collective."_ _

__"That large as fuck building like right next to central park?!" Kayla asked excitedly. She walked passed that place all of the time. And it was hard to miss, considering it was one of the taller buildings around instead of normal glass windows, the windows had curated, colorful graffiti all over them._ _

__"That's the one." Christen prided herself on keeping her financial status private. Not many people knew who ran Royal Collective and it was going to stay that way._ _

__"That must be so cool. Does your office have a nice veiw?"_ _

__"It does ac-" Christen is cut off by the sound of her phone ringing. She sighed discreetly, she can tell by the ringtone that's it's her work phone._ _

__"I'm sorry. I have to take this." She stepped a few feet away, and answered the phone._ _

__"I know you're on your little date but we're going to need you to come back in. The CEO of Spectrum is having a tantrum in your office." Crystal's voice does sound apologetic, but she can also hear the humor as she listened to the grown man in the other room scream and cry._ _

__"I'll be there soon." Christen hung up the phone, then took a deep breath. She turned back around toward Kayla with a slight grimace._ _

__"I'm so sorry, Kayla. But there's an emergency at work and I have to handle it. Do you mind if we cut this short?"_ _

__Kayla stood up quickly, "Not at all. I understand."_ _

__Christen sighed in relief, "Thank you. I'll call you." She kisses Kayla on the cheek before all but sprinting out of there._ _

__Kayla blushed heavily._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__She hates Sundays. Somehow, they're her busiest day of the week. Which, doesn't make sense because she doesn't have classes on Sundays._ _

__Though, this Sunday is serving to be a bit better than the rest. She was able to get the rest of her classwork done the previous day, so she was free to do whatever she wanted really._ _

__She eventually decided on going to her favorite pizza place. It's only around the corner from her apartment, and she's got cravings._ _

__She walked into the small hole in the wall a bit preoccupied with her phone. She probably should have been looking where she was going._ _

__She all but rammed into someone just as she crossed the threshold. She's about to lose her balance, when the person grabs her waist firmly._ _

__"Slow down, the pizza isn't going anywhere."_ _

__Kayla looked up at her saviour with a gasp. Maybe if they weren't so close she'd have somthing more articulate to say other than "Oh"._ _

__"Sorry, Kelley." Kayla breathed out. Kelley just chuckled lightly before letting the omega go._ _

__"It's okay. You might want to look up from your phone at least once next time, though."_ _

__Kayla blushed heavily, she looked down in embarrassment. It's then that she realized Kelley isn't alone._ _

__Kayla smiled softly at the small girl hiding partly behind her mother's legs._ _

__"Hello, I'm sorry I ran into your mom, but she's firm. I'm sure she's fine." Abigail looked up to her mother for confirmation. Kelley gave the child a thumbs up._ _

__Abigail waddled out from behind her mom. She seems intrested in Kayla for about two more seconds before the claw machine tucked in the corner catches her eye._ _

__"Hm. Normally she hates meeting new people." Kelley watched as her daughter toddled over to the machine she couldn't reach._ _

__"She thought I hurt you and was scared. Once she saw that you were fine, she was too." Kayla shrugged, as if it was as easy as that._ _

__"So...come here often?" Kelley wondered if there was a set of subway stairs she could throw herself down, because what the fuck was that?"_ _

__"Yes, actually. I live around the corner, and Sal here has the best pizza in this entire state." Kayla nodded toward the owner of the restaurant._ _

__"Never been here before actually. One of my friend's recommended it."_ _

__"Smart friend."_ _

__"Hope has her moments." Kelley shrugged. Speaking of Hope, now was her chance. Hope would murder her in cold blood if she found out Kelley had the opportunity to get Kayla's number and then didn't._ _

__"Uh, did you want to maybe-can I get your number?" Those subway stairs have to be close, right?_ _

__"Yeah. If you hadn't have said anything, I probably would have asked for yours." Kelley hands Kayla her phone and watches deftly as she puts her number in._ _

__"I would have said yes." The pair laugh until they're interrupted by Kayla's phone ringing._ _

__She pulls it out of her back pocket and takes a glimpse at the screen._ _

__'Christen' flashes across it._ _

__It's then that Kayla realizes she has a problem._ _


	3. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait, I've been reading Hope's book and watching old uswnt games.

_"But if I ever let you down, if I ever let you down...Forgive me, forgive me, now. Would it kill you to forgive me? This is a new love." ___

__"Why are you happy?"_ _

__Kelley rolled her eyes at the question. Was she not allowed to smile a bit sometimes? If she didn't, then surely Abigail would develop the same habit and then Kelley'd never get her out of the house because no omega would want to invite her into theirs._ _

__Hope squinted as she examined Kelley. There was something different about her best friend. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on._ _

__"Did you finally get laid?" Hope asked as if she was just casually discussing the weather._ _

__"No. Hey, Wait. What do you mean finally? I get laid constantly." Kelley tried to keep her tell off her face. Every time she lied her nose scrunched up as Hope and maybe even an ex-girlfriend pointed out to her._ _

__"I bet it's cobwebs down there. Do you even still know how to use it?" Hope chuckled to herself, only to let out a low grunt when Abigail jumps onto her stomach, "What do you feed this kid? Cinderblocks?"_ _

__Kelley ignored her and went about messing with her camera equipment. She checked the battery on her Canon and stomped her feet petulantly, "Abby, continue to jump on Hope while I go charge this. I'm sure I've heard Aunt Carli screaming about how much she loves bouncing on Aunt Hopey."_ _

__Abigail immediately gets going again._ _

__"Why! Do! You! Hate! Me!"_ _

__Kelley just cackled as she left the room._ _

__She returned only a few minutes later with a new battery and a triumphant smile on her face._ _

__The smile is soon replaced with a confused frown._ _

__There she is. The person she had been getting all this ready for. She thought she had enough time to get Hope far, far away from here before she came. She hadn't even heard a knock._ _

__They're laughing together, Kelley can't even see Kayla from her vantage point because she's being covered by Hope._ _

__And Kelley's not jealous. Persay. Not really. Hope's been mated to Carli for just about forever. But. But, she's annoyed. Mildly. It's a principle thing._ _

__There was a pause in whatever conversation they were having and Kayla stood on her tiptoes to peer over Hope's shoulder at Kelley._ _

__"Hi, Kel. Hope was just telling me about the time you got Abigail's hand stuck to your face."_ _

__Kelley wondered how long it would take for Hope to spontaneously combust if she just kept glaring at her._ _

__"Yeah, it's a shame it's time for her to go. I'm sure she has plenty more wonderful stories like that." Kelley insisted, all but shoving Hope out the door._ _

__"Carli's at work. I have nothing else to do. I can stay." Hope shrugged as Kelley pushed at her shoulder. Hope just watched her do it._ _

__"Yes you do. You and Abby are having a Godmother and Goddaughter bonding day. Remember?"_ _

__Hope raised an eyebrow, "I didn't ask to be your spawn's Godmother."_ _

__"No, you begged." Hope continued to stare blankly._ _

__Kelley huffed and pulled out her phone. She typed on it furiously. A few seconds later Hope pulled her phone out and looked at it._ _

__The One With The Kid: You want me to get laid? I can't do that if both of you are still here._ _

__She nodded once before quietly and promptly grabbing Abigail and walking out the door._ _

__Kelley breathed a sigh of relief, "Sorry about that. She's absolutely bat shit."_ _

__"Somehow, I don't believe that, but it's okay. It probably would have been boring for her to just watch me interview you all day." Kayla suggested._ _

__Kelley shrugged, "You'd be surprised what Hope finds entertaining. Her favorite passtime is witnessing the misfortunes of others."_ _

__Kayla giggled, "Your jealousy is cute, but unwarranted. She just wanted to embarrass you."_ _

__Kelley sputtered, "I-I am not jealous of Hope." Her cheeks were tinged pink, she's sure of it._ _

__"It's ok. You have nothing to worry about."_ _

__At least not with Hope._ _

__Kelley took a breathe. She gestured to her filming setup, "Ready when you are. Thanks for letting me film this, by the way. I needed a video for this week, I've been super busy with staring at the wall lately."_ _

__"No problem. Thanks for letting me interview you in the first place. My professor almost had a conniption when I told her I met you. Then she offered me this extra-credit, and I'm a glutton for a great grade." Kayla hurriedly flipped through a slightly worn orange composition notebook._ _

__Kelley watched the delighted sense of calm Kayla procured as she slowly leaned into her studies. The look somehow made Kayla even more attractive._ _

__Kelley cleared her throat slightly as she realized she was staring. She blinked and finally spoke, "I'm glad I could help."_ _

__Kayla smiled that much wider and Kelley might be having a heart attack._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Kelley got through the interview without embarrassing herself too much. Or at least Kayla hadn't ran out of the apartment screaming bloody murder during the exchange, so she assumed she didn't embarrass herself too much._ _

__Kayla assured her that her answers had been satisfactory and would do great for her assignment. Kelley had assured Kayla that she was very photogenic, and her audience would love her._ _

__When they're all done, and Kelley had put her away all her equipment, Kayla doesn't immediately leave, and suddenly Kelley has the urge to clarify some things._ _

__"We both know this wasn't a date, right?" The hand on her gripped and flexed against her own skin, while Kayla stared at her._ _

__And Kelley, for the life of her, couldn't get a read on this woman._ _

__"I think we do. Though, that begs the question what would be a date?" The corner of Kayla's mouth quirked up in a sort of half smirk._ _

__Kelley licked her lips._ _

__"I can text Hope to stay out a bit longer if you want to stay. I can make us a late lunch. I've been told I cook up a pretty mean turkey sandwich." Kelley's only joking slightly._ _

__"I'd love to stay." Kayla smiled softly, her dark eyes twinkling a bit in the process._ _

__Kelley really does have a heart attack this time._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Christen frowned at the knock on the door of her office._ _

__She had told Crystal not to let anyone through. Unless it was a firefighter rushing in to carry her from the burning building._ _

__She didn't smell any smoke. But she did smell Chanel no 5. And that's worse._ _

__Sure enough, before Christen could say 'Come in', the door opened. The absolute last person she wanted to see waltzed in, with a harried Crystal behind her._ _

__"Sorry, Boss. She just walked right pass me."_ _

__Christen dismissed her with a soft nod._ _

__The door shut behind Crystal and Christen sighed._ _

__"What are you doing here, Julie?"_ _

__"We need to talk."_ _

__"About what?"_ _

__"Us."_ _

__Christen only sighed again._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__It wasn't until Hope came back with her toddler slung precariously under one arm, that Kelley registered the kiss on the cheek that Kayla had left her with, and subsequently, how it made her feel._ _

__Hope dumped Abigail into her "Jail Cell". It only took about five seconds for the child to fall fast asleep._ _

__When she walked back into the room Kelley gripped onto her biceps like she trying to prevent herself from fainting._ _

__Hope blinked incredulously, "Can I help you?"_ _

__"She kissed me."_ _

__"I'm not seeing a problem here."_ _

__"She kissed me. On the cheek. And I wanted to turn her around and yank her back into the apartment. All because of one stupid kiss on the cheek. Do you know what that means?"_ _

__"You really, really need to get laid?"_ _

__Kelley groaned and started to shake Hope a bit, "Noooooo. It means I like her."_ _

__"You are so dense."_ _

__"It means I like like her. And that's not good."_ _

__Hope ripped her arms away from the shorter woman._ _

__"And why not?"_ _

__"Because she's her and I'm me. I don't stand a chance."_ _

__Hope frowned, "Who the hell gave you that idea? She'd be lucky to have you as her alpha." Hope poked Kelley in the chest firmly._ _

__Kelley shook her head, "You know what? Forget I said anything. I'm just being stupid." She sat down heavily on the sofa._ _

__"Kelley-"_ _

__"I said forget it, Hope."_ _

__Hope rolled her eyes. She stood there for a mintute, waiting for Kelley to say something. When she didn't, Hope huffed and trudged out the front door._ _


	4. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N. Light smut! Not real descriptive (that's purposeful) but you're welcome. Also, I want to point out that any major relationship milestone that Kayla passes with one of them first is not her necessarily choosing that person. I promise you, you'll know when Kayla is finally choosing. It will be glaringly obvious.
> 
> Also, this story may have less chapter than I originally thought, because the things that happen in this chpater were supposed to happen later and not in this order, so we'll see.

_"You loved what you loved because you loved it." ___

__It's been weeks. Weeks of Kayla falling deeper and deeper into this mess she somehow forced herself into._ _

__Weeks of getting to know Christen. Weeks of getting to know Kelley. Weeks of getting to know Abigail, for that matter._ _

__Weeks of being sucked into a cycle of never-ending uncertainty._ _

__And sure she knew plenty about them at this point. The little stuff, the medium stuff, but maybe not the big stuff._ _

__If you had asked Kayla if she had wanted to be in a serious relationship, mated to an alpha for the foreseeable future, she would have told you 'No. Absolutely not. I'm not ready.' But now, that's changed. And she's not exactly sure why._ _

__In addition to suddenly wanting to be someone's omega, her heats had magically increased, in frequency and intensity. They were somehow mowing their way through her normal dosage of suppressants._ _

__It was why she currently found herself in the waiting room of her doctor's office._ _

__Though, as she waited to be called back by the nurse, that was not the pertinent thought weighing down on her. Instead, it was 'Did Kelley or Christen want a serious relationship with her as well? Did they want her to be their mate?'_ _

__The million-dollar question._ _

__She had no real way of knowing. It definitely seemed like it on both their parts, but outright asking was out of the question._ _

__Kelley has a daughter, a daughter who will inevitably one day realize that Kayla looks nothing like her. She'll long for the care of her biological mother, and then Kelley will leave her so their family is complete._ _

__A logical conclusion._ _

__Christen has an ex, an ex that, granted, Kayla isn't supposed to know about (Crystal is very talkative when drunk), but an ex nonetheless. It's only fair that Christen realizes that she has unfinished business with said ex while Kayla is pregnant with their pups, and leaves her for the ex._ _

__Another logical conclusion._ _

__And where does all of that leave Kayla?_ _

__The nurse calling her name lightly soothed her out of her musing, saving her from answering her own question with even more ugly scenarios._ _

__"Kayla Madison? You can go on back." The nurse, an omega herself, smiled reassuringly as she gestured for Kayla to follow her._ _

__She leads her to an examination room after weighing her in the hallway. After a few preliminary questions that Kayla had to answer every time she visited, the nurse left her to wait for her doctor._ _

__Seven minutes later there's a knock on the door and a creaking of the hinges._ _

__Dr. Ramona Davis, another omega woman, smiled softly as she flipped through Kayla's mildly thin file._ _

__Despite Kayla being a patient at this particular practice since she started having her heats, she had never really had any serious isssues._ _

__It wasn't uncommon for an Omega Specialist to be an alpha, but they probably saw way less patients. It made more sense for an omega to be seeing a doctor who would understand what they were going through on a medical and a personal level._ _

__Dr. Davis placed the file on the counter in the room before squirting some hand sanitizer on, rubbing it in, then shaking Kayla's hand._ _

__"Hello Kayla, what brings you in today? I haven't had to see you in a year." The concern on the woman's fair features was genuine. Kayla took great appreciation in that. She hated Doctor's offices and the almost motherly nature of the omega doctor assuaged her anxiety greatly._ _

__"Um, yeah. Recently, my heats have been coming way more frequently than normal and they're very intense. My suppressants are barely putting a dent in them."_ _

__"Oh, that is concerning. You rarely come to me for heat problems." The doctor's eyebrows furrowed._ _

__Dr. Davis did a quick check of Kayla's breathing, then her ears and nose._ _

__The omega doctor sat back on her rolling stool with a sigh, "Are your heat symptoms normal? Anything really out of the ordinary?"_ _

__A blush settled over Kayla's cheeks. She thought for a second, other than being more intense she doesn't think that her symptoms have been out of the ordinary really, "I don't think so. The normal overheating, bones aching so bad I can't move, loss of appetite, and really bad night terrors, but I think that has more to do with the fact that this is my first year living by myself in the center of New York City. Yeah, all of that but dialed up by, like, 10." Kayla mused, she shrugged her shoulders in the end as if to say 'Y'know, the usual.'_ _

__Ramona stared at Kayla blankly for a solid three minutes before speaking again, "Kayla. None of that is normal. I have half a mind to call your mom and tell her what you just told me. The only thing stopping me is doctor-patient confidentiality."_ _

__Kayla pouted, her mother didn't need to know any of this. She was dealing with her own things. It's the very reason she hadn't mentioned this to either of her parents. Also, she hadn't really known that anything was wrong. She really just came here to get a higher dosage of her suppressants._ _

__Dr. Davis rubbed a hand down her face, "How long have your heats been like this?"_ _

__"Since I started having them, but they didn't get really bad until like six weeks ago give or take."_ _

__Ramona nodded, "You said this was the first time you're living fully by yourself. How long has it been since you lived with an alpha?"_ _

__"Uh, not since being home with my dad. I'm 24 and I moved out at 18, so, six years ago." Kayla frowned, she desperately needed to find out where the professional was going with this._ _

__Ramona thought for a second. She had a hunch, of what part of the problem was. She can't really do anything about Kayla's "normal" heat symptoms but she does have a cure that should dial back the frequency and intensity, she just had a sneaking suspicion that Kayla would absolutely hate it. Because if she didn't hate the idea, then the problem would be fixed already._ _

__But first, a couple more questions, "Kayla, when was the last time you were knotted?"_ _

__"Like three years ago?"_ _

__Dr. Davis surmises that Kayla must have impeccable self-control and she's not sure if that's a good thing or not._ _

__"Okay, last question before I let you in on my thought process. Have you been in close proximity to any unmated alphas lately? Like not just standing behind one in a line or sitting next to one in class, I mean actually spending time with any."_ _

__"Yeah...two." Kayla was starting to pick up the pieces, and no, she did not like where this is going._ _

__"Ah, the final piece of the puzzle," Ramona wrote some notes down on Kayla's file, "Alright. So here's what I think is going on, you haven't been in the presence of an alpha for at least three years. And all of a sudden you're surrounded by two. Probably encountering many more pheromones than you had in the past three years combined. It doesn't help that those alphas are readily available and your omega is very aware of this. Your heats are out of wack because, one, it sounds like you've just been chugging through them like nothing is wrong, not taking a knot or anything even remotely useful, and two, because of these new alphas. It's almost like your teasing your omega and she's fighting back. Triggering random and intense heats to trick you into mating with one of them."_ _

__Kayla stared back at her absolutely horrified, "I'm trying to kill myself?"_ _

__"That's not what I said."_ _

__"That's what it sounded like. Anyway, how do I get it to stop? I'm sure you know this isn't very fun."_ _

__"I can imagine. There's really one way that can help..."_ _

__"Stop stalling, Doc."_ _

__"You're going to have to take one of their knots. I know, I know. Stop looking at me like that. It's the only way. Once you do that, your omega will calm down and you can go back to your life. Look, it doesn't even have to be one of theirs. You're going to do that and I'm going to write you a prescription for some muscle relaxers but your suppressants are staying the same."_ _

__Kayla looked like she wanted to puke at the thought of doing that with anyone else other than Kelley or Christen._ _

__"Okay, it has to be one of theirs."_ _

__Kayla still looked a bit apprehensive._ _

__Ramona sighed, it looked like she was going to have to pretend to be her wife today. Her wife was a psychologist who worked down the hall._ _

__"What's got you so hesitant, Kay?"_ _

__Kayla sighed and her shoulders slumped, "I don't want to have to choose between them. I like them both. A lot."_ _

__"Who said you have to choose? You might eventually when you're ready to mate, but for now, you don't have to worry about that."_ _

__"What if I am ready to mate?" Kayla mumbled._ _

__"Then yeah, you might have a problem on your hands."_ _

__Kayla threw her hands up in the air exasperated, "I don't even know if they would even want to have sex with me."_ _

__Ramona rolled her eyes at that, "Okay, here's what you're going to do. I'm going to sit here, and you're going call both of them and ask."_ _

__Kayla began to protest, "Ah. No. You're going to do it. I can tell you've been putting this off and it's starting to nag at you. You're a 24-year-old unmated omega. There is absolutely no reason you should be doubting your sex appeal."_ _

__"Fine," Kayla grumbled. Her hands shook as she picked up her phone and tapped on her recents. They were both coincidently the last people she had talked to. Christen being the latest, as they were confirming plans for later that day._ _

__Christen answered on the second ring, "Hey, Babe. What's up?"_ _

__Kayla blushed at the pet name, she sighed before deciding to just rip it off like a bandaid, "Do you want to have sex with me?"_ _

__There's a clattering and then a curse on the other end. A second later Christen started speaking again, "I'm sorry, I dropped my phone. Yes. The answer is yes." Kayla hung up without another word. A heavy blush encompassing her scowl._ _

__It seemed like Kelley answered the phone before Kayla even pressed the call button, "O'Hara Crematorium. You kill 'em, we grill 'em. How may I help you?"_ _

__"How many times do I have to tell you that's not funny?"_ _

__"Until I believe you."_ _

__"Anyway. Do you want to have sex with me?"_ _

__It sounds like Kelley starts to hyperventilate._ _

__"I very do a lot."_ _

__"What?"_ _

__"Yes. The answer is yes."_ _

__Kayla hung up and glared at the doctor, "Happy?"_ _

__"Are you?"_ _

__Kayla had never felt a boost of confidence such as the verbal reassurance of alphas being sexually attracted to her, but Ramona didn't need to know that._ _

__"So, now you know they want to. The next step is to do it." Dr. Davis patted her on the shoulder reassuringly._ _

__Kayla nodded resolutely. The next step is to do it._ _

__Dr. Davis handed her the prescription for the muscle relaxers and ushered her out the door._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Kayla arrived at Christen's penthouse with a renewed sense of determination._ _

__She's was let into the fancy apartment building and then into the penthouse fairly easily. She assumed Christen had prepared whoever needed to be prepared for her arrival._ _

__Christen, over lunch one day, had finally let slip her actual job description. Kayla had only shrugged more or less. She wasn't stupid. You don't wear custom Armani suits and pay for your Starbucks with a black credit card without being the CEO of something._ _

__Christen seemed forever grateful Kayla hadn't made a big deal about it._ _

__As soon as Kayla laid eyes on Christen her core clenched. The alpha was wearing a grey t-shirt and a pair of dark wash skinny jeans, and yet for some reason, Kayla still got weak in the knees._ _

__Christen greeted her with a peck on the cheek and a happy smile, "How was your day?"_ _

__Kayla blinked, "Interesting. How was yours?"_ _

__"Boring at first. It's my first day off in months and I didn't know what to do with myself. Then I got an interesting phone call from an interesting person asking an interesting question. So I'd say my day was interesting as well."_ _

__Christen led them deeper into the penthouse, which Kayla later will realize is only the first floor._ _

__"Yeah, sorry if I caught you off guard with that?" Kayla looked down and blushed._ _

__Christen shrugged, "It's fine. I admired the forwardness."_ _

__Kayla chuckled at that._ _

__"So, I was originally going to cook for you, but then at the very last second, I remembered I can't cook. But I can drink wine. And I'm very good at buying it too, so I figured we could have an impromptu wine tasting." Christen gestured into her kitchen where a bunch of glasses filled with different pigments of wine had been set up._ _

__"You just want to see me drunk." Kayla tapped Christen playfully on the arm._ _

__"I'd be lying if I said I didn't have any ulterior motives."_ _

__Kayla made it three glasses in before she practically jumped Christen. In her defense, her mini-heat was still simmering under the surface._ _

__Their lips smashed together in a desperate ruse for Kayla to get closer to Christen. Christen's hands on her hips and Kayla's in her hair. She released her grip on the taller woman's hair, she reached down to her own shirt. Gripping at the hem and yanking it over her head._ _

__Christen blinked slowly, "Are you sure?" She asked, even as Kayla's hands traveled to the button of Christen's jeans._ _

__Kayla captured Christen's lips again in a quick, searing kiss, "What about any of this says unsure to you?"_ _

__That's all Christen needs to continue._ _

__It's not really evident how they found themselves in Christen's bed. Both of them had sort of partially blacked out._ _

__Save for her boxer-briefs, Christen was completely naked as she nipped at Kayla's neck. Kayla mewled and whined. Her hips rolling up into Christen's thigh._ _

__"You're so wet." Christen practically growled into Kayla's ear. She can easily tell by the amount collecting on her thigh every time Kayla bucked her hips._ _

__"Alpha, need you inside of me."_ _

__Christen is all too happy to oblige. She kicked off her boxers quickly, then leaned over toward her bedside table. She rummaged around in the drawer without looking. Kayla was completely naked under her, her eyes were bit preoccupied._ _

__It took about 20 more seconds for the alpha to locate what she had been looking for._ _

__"Safety first," Christen exclaimed as she held up the condom. Kayla rolled her eyes, she was a bit too far gone to care about safety at the moment. This all seemed like a waste of precious time to her._ _

__It felt like ages before Christen was finally inside of her. Kayla couldn't help but clench just about as soon as Christen had entered._ _

__The relief she felt was almost instantaneous. That feeling of finally being filled almost pushed her over the edge right then and there._ _

__Christen rocked her hips back lightly. Allowing Kayla to adjust._ _

__Kayla did so quickly apparently. Her hips rocking up into Christen once again._ _

__"Chris, harder."_ _

__Christen grunted and obliged. Her hips slamming into the woman harder than before. Kayla was about as tight as Christen had imagined she would be, and that was serving to make this that much more difficult._ _

__She'd be damned if she didn't even last ten minutes. How embarrassing would that be?_ _

__"Fuck." Kayla moaned breathily. She felt like she was floating. The coil in her stomach tightening in time with the curling of her toes._ _

__"You're so gorgeous." Christen whispered into Kayla's shoulder. She nipped at the skin there, trying to abate her need to bite the omega's mating gland._ _

__Kayla's not listening. She can feel Christen's knot beginning to form, and her main goal is to get it inside of her. So, she relaxed as much as she could and wrapped her legs around Christen's waist. Pulling her closer._ _

__They both released almost identical moans._ _

__"God, you're trying to kill me." Christen grunted just as her knot popped into the omega._ _

__It took just about all her willpower not to latch onto Kayla's neck._ _

__Kayla's back arched as she fell over the edge. Her breathy moans becoming a bit more high pitched._ _

__Christen groaned as she released into the condom._ _

__As they came down Kayla began to giggle._ _

__Christen scowled, "What are you laughing at?"_ _

__"Oh, calm down. I'm laughing because I normally pride my self on having great self control. I demonstrated quite the opposite just then."_ _

__"Hey, we all need to let go every once in a while." Christen shrugged and shifted them to a more comfortable position._ _

__Kayla gasped as she felt the knot tug a bit. They would be tied together for a bit longer._ _

__Kayla sighed happily, then snuggled closer into Christen._ _

__Within seconds, she's out like a light._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Kayla woke to her phone vibrating precariously next to her head._ _

__In the night, her and Christen had since shifted. They were no longer tied, and had took advantage of that. Her back was pressed into Christen's front, with Christen's arm slung across Kayla's waist._ _

__Kayla answered her phone without looking at caller id._ _

__"Hello?"_ _

__"Hey. You weren't sleep were you?" Kayla frowned at the tone of Kelley's voice. She sounded exhausted and maybe even a little upset._ _

__"No. Why? What's up?"_ _

__Kelley huffed a bit before sighing, "Do you mind coming over here and watching Abby for a bit. She's not feeling well and I need to go pick up some medicine for her. I know it's late-"_ _

__"I'll be right over, Kelley."_ _

__"Thanks."_ _

__It's surprisingly easy for her to slip out from under Christen. Tiptoe out of the room, locate her clothes, then head out the apartment. All without waking her._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Kayla is at Kelley's in record time. She smoothed out her wrinkled shirt before knocking on the door lightly._ _

__It doesn't occur to her that Kelley is most definitely going to smell Christen on her until Kelley opens the door and looks at her like _that _.___ _

____Part sad, part angry, part prooven right?_ _ _ _

____Her jaw is clenched and she won't look Kayla in the eyes. Instead she looked right past her into the hallway. Kayla wanted to say something. Apologize maybe. Deal out excuses. She's not sure. Kelley beat her to it anyway._ _ _ _

____"...Thank you. I didn't want to bring her with me at risk of her getting sicker. And everyone else was busy. Or Asleep." Kelley looked a bit resigned. Like she expected this and it was what it was._ _ _ _

____She brushed passed Kayla easily, then hurrried down to her car. She might punch her dashboard out of anger and jealousy, but it's the middle of the night. No one is there to confirm or deny that part._ _ _ _

____Kayla took a deep breath. She didn't like that look Kelley gave her. It made her feel gross, guilty, and quite frankly, sick to her stomach._ _ _ _

____She doesn't have time to wallow, because she can hear Abby whimpering through the baby monitor placed on the coffee table._ _ _ _

____She walked into the toddler's room to find Abby balancing over the ledge of her crib. Clearly in the middle of an escape._ _ _ _

____"Hi, Abs. Do you mind if I help you?"_ _ _ _

____Abby huffed before reaching for Kayla. Kayla scooped the child into her arms easily. Abby cuddled herself into her neck._ _ _ _

____"Thank you for letting me help? You give the best hugs."_ _ _ _

____The toddler lifted her head from the omega's shoulder, "Better than mama?"_ _ _ _

____Kayla chuckled lightly, "Yes, better hugs than your mom."_ _ _ _

____Abby laid her head back as Kayla walked them back to the livingroom. Kayla sat down on the sofa as they waited for Kelley to get back._ _ _ _

____"Don't feel good." Abigail mumbled tiredly into the woman's neck._ _ _ _

____"I know you don't. That's why your mom went to go get some medicine for you. You know, I think you hit the mom jackpot with that one."_ _ _ _

____Abigail shrugged and yawned. It's only about three seconds later that the toddler passes out._ _ _ _

____Kayla just continued to rub the girl's back._ _ _ _

____☆☆☆☆_ _ _ _

____Kelley came back to see Abigail passed out on Kayla's chest, and Kayla passed out on the couch._ _ _ _

____She begrudgingly took a pic of the admittedly adorable sight._ _ _ _

____She eventually decided to post the picture to her Instagram. Jealousy only partially driving that decision._ _ _ _

____Kelley pocketed her phone and stood in the door way for a few more seconds. Abigail looked very content to stay where she was, so Kelley let her._ _ _ _

____She sighed, "I'm working on it, kid. I just wish I knew what I was up against."_ _ _ _

____☆☆☆☆_ _ _ _

____Kayla woke up without the crick in her neck she thought she would. She soon realized it was because she was in a bed and not on the couch she had thought she fell asleep in._ _ _ _

____Kayla hobbled out of the bed. She peered into Abigail's room to find her sleeping soundly in the crib._ _ _ _

____She padded into the living room next. The tv was on but it didn't seem obvious that it was being watched._ _ _ _

____"Morning." Kayla jumped._ _ _ _

____She turned around to the voice. Kelley was standing at the kitchen island, sipping on a cup of coffee. Kelley looked like she had gotten exactly zero hours of sleep that night. Her face was blank and she was wearing the same thing she had left in._ _ _ _

____"Morning... How'd I get into your bed?"_ _ _ _

____"I carried you there. You looked uncomfortable." Kelley's face remained blank. Her eyes pointed in the direction of the television._ _ _ _

____"Where did you sleep?"_ _ _ _

____"I didn't."_ _ _ _

____"Kelley."_ _ _ _

____"Thanks for watching Abby again." Kelley's jaw clenched and her leg bounced on the linoleum, "I'll see you later."_ _ _ _

____Kayla wrapped her arms around herself. She nodded as she headed for the front door._ _ _ _

____"Tell Abby I'll see her next week?"_ _ _ _

____Kelley only hummed._ _ _ _

____Kayla took a shakey breath as she left the apartment. She left the building with her arms still wrapped around herself._ _ _ _

____Somehow, this felt more like the walk of shame then leaving Christen's had._ _ _ _

____She pulled out her phone and dialed a familiar number._ _ _ _

____"What's up?"_ _ _ _

____"Can we meet up, I really need to talk."_ _ _ _

____"Of course. You know where to meet me. Give me ten minutes."_ _ _ _

____Kayla breathed a watery sigh of relief, "Thank you."_ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please kudos and comment. I'd love to hear your theories about how you think this will end or if I'm really stumping you!


	5. Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N. Mostly, just dialogue. Next chapter back to Happy (for now)!Christen and Sad!Kelley.

_"Life's too short to even care at all. I'm losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind. Losing control." ___

__"Boy, do I wish I had your problems. You have two eligible, successful, and hot alphas fawning over you, and you think that's a problem?" Cassandra laid down on the blanket carefully. A sliver of the bottom of her stomach poking out from her (actually it is clearly Alex's) shirt._ _

__Kayla incessantly shakes her head. Her curly hair waves ever so slightly in the draft she creates. It's a much welcome reprieve from the heat of Central Park._ _

__The blanket is placed on a neat patch of grass under a large tree. The large tree that they had sat under many a time during undergrad. This is where they would come when being an adult got to be a little too much and they needed to get away and decompress._ _

__And now, that seemed to be just the case for Kayla. How did Cassandra not see the distress this had put her under? It was a curse, not a blessing._ _

__Though she put her self into this mess supposedly and she was going to have to take herself out of this somehow, someway._ _

__"I'm going to have to decide. Preferably, before they find out about each other."_ _

__But that was proving to be much more of a herculean feat than she was expecting._ _

__Last night, or well, this morning had been a close call. She wasn't really thinking when she had left Christen's. Just that Abigail needed her, and maybe that was the omega in her operating more than anything. The overwhelming urge to nurture, and care for, and fix, and mend, clawing to get out._ _

__"Yeah, maybe leaving one to go rush to the other just after fucking wasn't your best moment, but what's done is done." Cassandra shrugged or did the best she could while laying on her side._ _

__"But, I feel so bad. You didn't see the way she looked at me. Or didn't look at me. She looked so betrayed. She practically kicked me out. I felt like a whore."_ _

__"Hey! I know some pretty cool whores. Don't talk about my friends in that negative tone of voice."_ _

__Kayla rolled her eyes, "I cannot stand you, you know that?"_ _

__Cassandra only shrugged again and brushed her ginger hair out of her face._ _

__"How do you know Kelley anyway?"_ _

__"She didn't tell you? Alex's best friend is her kid's mom."_ _

__Kayla's nose scrunched up, "Emily Sonnett? Sonnett is Abby's mom? I knew I didn't like that chick for a reason!"_ _

__"Yep! That's why Alex dislikes her."_ _

__"She hates Kelley for taking care of the kid her best friend dumped on her?"_ _

__"No, she hates that Kelley got her pregnant in the first place."_ _

__"But Sonnett abandoned the kid?"_ _

__"I never said Alex was logical, besides Alex hasn't talked to Emily in years. Probably stopped around the time Abby was born."_ _

__Kayla shook her head, "You married an idiot."_ _

__"Yeah, but she's hot and her dic-"_ _

__"If Alex hates Kelley so much, why did she invite her to the party?"_ _

__"Hate is a strong word, she doesn't hate her really. Just a very strong dislike. But she didn't invite her, I did. Because I like Kelley. She's funny. And single. And you're single and you like to laugh. And I was trying to set you up okay! But you fucked it up by being a damn alpha magnet." Cassandra began to pout dramatically._ _

__"Yeah, well your facts are wrong anyway. Kelley is not funny." Kayla frowned petulantly_ _

__Cassandra rolled her eyes harshly, "You're petty. Anyway, how's your mom?"_ _

__Kayla sighed heavily, thinking back to the last conversation she had with her mother a few days prior, "She's not worse. But she isn't better either. They think it's her kidneys. She goes in for a few more tests in two weeks."_ _

__Cassandra leaned up to place a comforting hand on her best friend's thigh, "She'll be okay."_ _

__Kayla only nodded._ _

__"Something's been bothering me, though," Cassandra said after a bout of comfortable silence._ _

__"What?" Kayla continued to stare at the expanse of green grass in front of her._ _

__"You smell different." Cassandra looked a bit concerned, which didn't serve to make Kayla feel any better, "Not like in a bad way. You remember back in college after Alex's and I's first date?"_ _

__Kayla nodded. She remembered it vividly, if only because she was bored out of her mind and lonely, waiting for Cassandra to come back. She really needed to make new friends._ _

__"When I got back you said I smelled different. Then we later found out it was because Alex imprinted on me." Cass paused, waiting for Kayla to fill in her blanks._ _

__"You know I'm slow, Cass. You're going to have to tell me."_ _

__Cass rolled her eyes, "I think one of those knotheads imprinted on you!"_ _

__"Well, which one? And what does that even really mean?" This was beginning to feel all so new. Kayla felt like an amateur surrounded by a bunch of professionals._ _

__"It doesn't really work like that, Kay. Whoever did it probably knows they did it by now. But, it's not a conscious thing. It just happens. They kind of realize they did it over time. It means she chose you. You're kind of it for her. You're probably going to start feeling a bit weird in the next few days. Imprinting forms little fledgling bonds, and whatever super intense emotion they feel, you're going to feel it too."_ _

__"That makes all of this a hundred times worse! I'm just going to have someone else's emotions in my head, and I won't even know whose they are. What if I pick the wrong one?"_ _

__"Yeah, maybe you were right. This doesn't sound that cool anymore, but if it makes you feel better, you, Kayla Madison, have never made a bad decision in your entire life. You're smart, you're thoughtful, and I have the utmost confidence that you will do what's right for you." Cassandra rubbed her back._ _

__"Besides, I think the answer might be as simple as who you miss the most right now."_ _

__"I don't miss either of them. I just saw them."_ _

__"Your knees pulled into your chest and the rocking back and forth say something entirely different."_ _

__Kayla looked down at her position. She scowled before slowly unfolding herself._ _

__"I was sitting like that because Kelley made me sad."_ _

__The corner of Cassandra's mouth hitched up, "I'm sure that's part of the reason."_ _

__"You're insufferable."_ _

__Cassandra only laughed._ _

__"Anyway, enough about my Twilight love triangle. How are you and my niece?" Kayla finally turned so she was actually facing Cassandra._ _

__"Your nephew and I are doing just fine."_ _

__Kayla squealed loudly, "It's a boy?!"_ _

__"We found out yesterday." Cassandra smiled softly._ _

__"Oh my God! I'm going to buy him so many pink things! You can name him Kayla!"_ _

__"That's not-"_ _

__"I can see it now. Kayla Alexander Morgan and his entirely pink wardrobe." Kayla stood up quickly. The blanket crumpled under her feet, causing Cassandra to frown. She had spent like twenty exhausting minutes trying to get it spread completely flat._ _

__"How'd you know his middle name would be Alexander?"_ _

__"Because I've met your wife."_ _

__Cassandra chuckled loudly, "Why do you hate her so much?"_ _

__"Hate is a strong word. I don't hate Alex really. Just a very strong dislike." Kayla deadpanned._ _

__"If I wasn't 5 months pregnant I'd kick your ass."_ _

__Kayla shook her head in disbelief, "5 months, wow. I'm surprised Alex let you out of her sight."_ _

__"She didn't. She's sitting right there." Cassandra pointed to a bench about 30 feet away from them. Sure enough, there she sat. Patiently waiting for the two to finish talking. She idly kicked an old soccer ball between her feet. She waved excitedly when she noticed them staring. Cassandra rolled her eyes and waved back._ _

__"Some days I think about hiring a hitman. But then she says something stupid and I remember I'm in love with that idiot."_ _

__Alex begins to attempt to juggle the ball at her feet to impress the two omegas. She fails miserably, which is concerning because she's a professional soccer player._ _

__Cassandra and Kayla try not to laugh. They also fail miserably. Alex pouts on the bench._ _

__"I missed this. I missed you." Kayla nudged the other omega with her sandal._ _

__"Don't get all sappy on me now. We were just making fun of my wife!"_ _

__"I'm being serious!"_ _

__"I know. I missed you too. You know you can call if you want to talk. It doesn't even have to be important. Alex has me on house arrest, so I'm bored out of my mind. Please call me. I'm begging." Kayla's lip trembled, then she (softly) lunged at her best friend. Cassandra hugged her back with a smile._ _

__Alex growled somewhere in the distance._ _

__"I will literally kick that ball at your head, Alex! And I won't miss like you just did!" Kayla yelled at the alpha._ _

__Alex stopped growling._ _

__"Oh! Forgot to ask. How big is Christen?"_ _

__"I don't -very-know what you're talking about," Kayla smirked slyly._ _

__Cassandra gave her a discreet fist bump._ _


	6. Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N. Okay, so I think at least 4-5 more chapters, and then an epilogue (or two). (I just really want to write a story where everyone has kids and they're all grown.) And I know I have other stories to update but I love this one a lot.
> 
> Want to know where the fuck these lyrics at the beginning of each chapter come from? Listen to the Petrichor playlist.
> 
> https://tinyurl.com/rtwf3kx

_"Thought I saw your shadow under the door. Just a trick of the light I've seen before. I can never tell what's real anymore. Anymore. Anymore." ___

__Hope broke into the apartment with a huff. She scowled at her drenched umbrella. She placed the offending accessory into Kelley's shoe. That's what she gets for not opening the door._ _

__She intended on telling her just that, as she trudged further into the living room._ _

__"Do you know what the word 'petrichor' means?"_ _

__Hope yelped._ _

__She turned to Kelley. The alpha was dramatically staring out the window. Watching New Yorkers scramble to get away from the torrential downpour._ _

__"...What in the late 90s, early 2000s music video is going on here?"_ _

__"It's the smell that occurs after rain." Kelley is still staring out the window._ _

__Hope has never tried harder not to laugh at something in her entire life._ _

__"What's wrong, Kelley? How long have you been standing there?" Hope looked around the room for a camera. She was surely being punk'd right now._ _

__"I feel like petrichor." Kelley said as she continued to stare out the window._ _

__"What does that even mean!?"_ _

__"She called me. I tripped over myself trying to get to my phone. She asked if I wanted to have sex with her like she didn't know that I have never wanted to do anything more in my entire life. And then she hung up."_ _

__Hope sighed as she took a seat on the couch. She crossed her arms, mentally preparing herself for Kelley's definitely impending meltdown._ _

__"A little odd, but not seeing a problem yet."_ _

__"She asked if I wanted to have sex, and then we didn't."_ _

__"That was the most assholish thing you have ever said to me. And that's saying something because you talk a lot. So, I'm going to let you rephrase that before I punch you in the face."_ _

__"No. You don't get it. She didn't have sex with me because she was doing it with someone else. And then she came over here like she didn't." Kelley finally turned to look at Hope. Hope is sure Kelley would have a 5 o'clock shadow if she possessed the ability to grow one._ _

__"Well, did she come over to rub it in your face?"_ _

__Kelley's eyebrows furrowed, "...No, she came because I asked her to, Abs wasn't feeling well and I needed her help...but it felt like she was rubbing it in." Kelley pouted._ _

__Hope chuckled softly, "You're so oblivious. Anyhow, I'm sure I don't have to tell you, she can fuck who ever she wants."_ _

__Kelley stomped her foot petulantly, "But why couldn't she want to fuck me?! Why am I always second place?"_ _

__Hope sighed, her lips forming a deep, concerned frown, "Where is this coming from, Kel?"_ _

__"Emily's getting married."_ _

__"Oh."_ _

__"Yeah. And it shouldn't be that big of a deal, but she's the mother of my child, we coul-could've worked it out. Been a family, but no. I'm never anyone's first choice." Kelley sat down on the couch next to Hope, her face cradled in her hands._ _

__"Are you sure you would've wanted that. To be mated and married to Emily? You said the next morning you barely remembered her name, and she had told you it twice like a minute before."_ _

__Kelley uncovered her face and thought about it for a few moments, "No. We'd probably kill each."_ _

__"Exactly, so how could you be first place if you never even put yourself into the race?"_ _

__"I think I liked you better when you were mean to me."_ _

__"You like me anyway you can get me."_ _

__They both laughed softly._ _

__"I'm still mad. She could have told me she couldn't come over."_ _

__"She's an omega and you told her a child was sick. What was she supposed to do? Five bucks says she completely forgot where she had been ten minutes earlier as soon as she got here."_ _

__"Could you just let me hold my grudge that is heavily justified in my head?"_ _

__"If you want to be single for the rest of your life, by all means, hold that dumbass grudge, but don't come crying to me when she kicks you in the crotch."_ _

__"Why are you here anyway?"_ _

__"Oh yeah! I wanted to kick your ass in Fifa. Carli's pregnant and she's mad at me, so I ran away. " Hope jumped up to grab the controllers casually._ _

__"Carli's pregnant!?"_ _

__"Yeah. Must be in the air or something." Hope shrugged nonchalantly._ _

__"...Something's wrong with you."_ _

__"Pot. Kettle. Black."_ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__"How do you keep getting in here? Don't I have security?" Christen made a mental note to fire someone later._ _

__"Have you made up your mind?" Julie asked, completely ignoring the previous questions hurtled her way._ _

__"Hello to you, too." Christen rolled her eyes. She came around her desk to sit on top of it, her arms crossed at her chest._ _

__"Answer the question, Chris."_ _

__"You walked into my job and demanded that I mate you. And then when I said 'Hell no' you told me to think about it. Now you're back, asking if I made up my mind. Did you think you were going to get a different answer?" Christen had to hold back a laugh at that. Surely, Julie didn't think she could be manhandled into mating her._ _

__They had broken up months ago. It was mutual, or so Christen had thought. They were headed in two different directions in life and would probably never end back up on the same path. But all of a sudden, Julie was pushing it._ _

__"So, what are you trying to say?" Julie huffed. Her giant loop earrings swinging as she did so._ _

__"I don't want to mate you. I don't want to court you. I want you-"_ _

__Julie gasped, "I want you too, Christen!"_ _

__"-OUT OF MY GODDAMN OFFICE!" Christen seldom raised her voice, it mainly happened during a meeting with the CEO of Spectrum. He was an asshole, and very talkative._ _

__Outside of that, Christen could count on one hand how many times she had yelled at someone, including this one._ _

__Normally, she felt bad afterwards. She was an alpha and most of the time when she yelled, people noticed, people felt it, especially omegas. But even as Julie whimpered and crocodile tears formed in the corner of her eyes, Christen couldn't bring herself to care._ _

__"But why not?!" Her bottom lip jutted out and her arms crossed over herself._ _

__"Because I love someone else!" Christen actually surprised herself there a bit. She didn't mean for that to explode from her mouth and into the expanse of her office. But that didn't take away from the fact that it was true. She just hadn't planned on admitting that yet._ _

__"You do?" Julie asked with a slump of her shoulders._ _

__"You do?"_ _

__Both Christen and Julie startled. Christen glanced at the space that was between her and Julie before pulling away._ _

__"Kayla? What are you doing here?"_ _

__"Crystal...she let me up. I came-I came to bring you lun-you love me?" Her thoughts are running a mile a minute. She can't keep her sentences in order. And her hands are sweaty. It's taking every ounce of dexterity she has not to drop Christen's lunch on the ground._ _

__Christen glanced at Julie before walking around her and towards Kayla slowly, "I-you don't have to say it back, but yeah. I love you. And you probably think it's too soon, but I do. A lot."_ _

__There were about ten different emotions playing across Kayla's face. The most prominent being surprise, maybe? She's a bit difficult for Christen to read._ _

__"I-I-you love me?" It's just a whisper this time. The suprise morphing into disbelief and confusion more than anything else._ _

__Christen nodded and Julie huffed._ _

__"Oh." Kayla mumbled softly. Christen pressed a gentle hand to her cheek, and Kayla let her, "Oh." She mumbled again, this time with a slightly different inflection in her voice._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Kayla didn't know what she was feeling. She was happy and sad and excited and mad and confused and terrified and glad and guilt-ridden all at the same time._ _

__It made her sick to her stomach._ _

__She's sitting alone in her apartment. It's been three days since Christen. Her phone sat idly in her hand. Waiting patiently to be used._ _

__She needed to call someone. To talk to someone. But she's not sure who would understand any of this._ _

__She eventually decided on Kelley. Because why not make this even more hard on herself?_ _

__After several rings it went to voicemail. Which, hurts to say the least. She can't help but think Kelley is screening her calls._ _

__But, Kayla is nothing if not a masochist._ _

__She called again. It goes to voicemail again._ _

__After the first call, it hurt. After the second call, it hurt even more. After the third call, it pissed her off._ _

__Kayla's mad now._ _

___Kayla: At least let me know you're alive, you giant gaping asshole. ____ _

____Kelley turned her read receipts off to spite Hope, so unfortunately, Kayla will never know if she sees it or not that way._ _ _ _

____About three minutes later her phone lit up with a notification._ _ _ _

____It's an Instagram notification. It's Kelley's Instagram notification._ _ _ _

____Kayla rolled her eyes, but opened it anyway._ _ _ _

____It's a picture of Abby with Kelley's friend, Ashlyn. Abby does not seem to be enjoying herself._ _ _ _

____The caption is only one singular emoji:👶🏻_ _ _ _

____Kayla blew out a puff of air, at least she knew they were alive._ _ _ _

____She scrolled a bit into the comment section. It's mainly just viewers saying how cute Abby is. But there's a couple that caught Kayla's eye._ _ _ _

_____You should do another video with Kayla!_ _ _ _ _

_____Yeah, but where's Kayla? ____ _ _ _

______Kayla might accidentally on purpose like that second one. It's a question she needed the answer to too. And maybe once they found out, they could tell her._ _ _ _ _ _


	7. Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: In my original draft Christen had a kid several years older than Abby. But I eventually decided against that, because it would have made Kelley and Christen's situations a bit too similar and the whole point of this is that they're two very different people who make very different decisions and live very different lives.

_"I hate to think about you with somebody else. Our love has gone cold. You're intertwining your soul with somebody else." ___

__"Can I help you?" Kelley opened her front door with a bored look on her face._ _

__"How long are you going to be mad at me? It's starting to get annoying." Kayla crossed her arms over her chest. Her jaw clenched and eyes locked in a semi-permanent glare._ _

__"What makes you think I'm mad at you?" Kelley frowned stubbornly._ _

__"Oh, I get it now. You're a dumbass. Can't believe I hadn't noticed it sooner."_ _

__"Now, hold on." Kelley held up a hand._ _

__Kayla poked a finger in Kelley's chest, "You think you're all high and mighty just because you haven't slept with anybody else. I have needs, Kelley! You don't get to decide who I do or don't sleep with."_ _

__Kelley backed further into the apartment to avoid the probing finger. Kayla followed her with a determined look in her eye. The door slammed shut behind her._ _

__"You could have came to me!" Kelley hollered, an almost imperceptible growl bubbled beneath the words._ _

__"Your child was sick!"_ _

__"You didn't know that!"_ _

__"What was I supposed to do? Walk over here and ask you if you were available, then when you said no, head over to where I was going in the first place?" Kayla sighed and shook her head, "One of us is missing the point, and it is not me."_ _

__Kelley scowled even harder somehow. Her jaw is clenched and she's looking at the framed picture just passed Kayla's head._ _

__"Are you 'having needs' right now?"_ _

__"I'm always 'having needs' because of stupid alphas like you!"_ _

__Before Kayla can even blink, Kelley has her pressed against the nearest wall, with her lips on hers._ _

__It's a lot of clashing teeth and nipped lower lips, and Kayla whimpered desperately or maybe that was Kelley, they had somehow become so intertwined so quickly, it never became obvious._ _

__Kelley nipped lightly at Kayla's neck. A smirk danced across her kiss swollen lips. Kayla shuddered._ _

__Kayla's back arched away from the wall as Kelley's hand traveled down her still clothed stomach and into her jeans._ _

__Kelley groaned, "You're soaked." She pulled her hand back from its destination part way before returning._ _

__"So I've been told."_ _

__Kelley growled lowly, "Really? You want to be petty right now? With my hand down your pants?"_ _

__"What better time than the present?"_ _

__Kelley's fingers traced the outline of Kayla's folds lightly, occasionally, grazing over her clit. Her movement is hindered by the tightness of Kayla's jeans, but she's determined to get Kayla off like this first._ _

__So, she pushed her her hand back down roughly. The heel of her palm brushed harshly against Kayla's center. Her fingers circling the omega's entrance._ _

__"Well, if you're so keen on talking during this, now would be the perfect time for you to beg."_ _

__Kayla choked down a whimper, "Y-You know, you're at like the perfect distance for me to knee your dick into your throat, right?"_ _

__"So is that a no?"_ _

__"It's a keep talking and see what happens-Fuck!" Kelley mentally patted herself on the back for that one. Her index finger curled slightly inside of Kayla._ _

__Kayla couldn't have even begun to choke back the resulting whimper._ _

__"You were saying?" A raised eyebrow accompanied her smirk. Kayla made sure to clench her eyes shut, at risk of seeing that and clipping Kelley in the throat in retaliation._ _

__"Do you make it your mission to be this insufferable?" Kayla bit her lip as Kelley pulled her hand out once again. She absolutely refused to beg, or do anything that would suggest she wanted Kelley to put her hand back out of pure spite._ _

__Kelley, for her part, wasn't even thinking about that anymore. She had foregone her original plan. Kayla wasn't cooperating and Kelley's straining painfully against her own shorts._ _

__She leaned in to nip at Kayla's neck again. Her nose pressed firmly to Kayla's scent gland._ _

__Kelley never answered the question._ _

__Instead, she dipped her thumbs into the waistband of Kayla's jeans and underwear. She pushed them down enough so they were out of her way._ _

__"Kelley." Kayla breathed out, she was suddenly facing the wall. Kelley pressed against her lightly._ _

__She could feel Kelley. Her arousal. Her breathe on her shoulder. Her hands roaming underneath her shirt, she has a feeling Kelley won't bother to take that off of her._ _

__Her suspicions are confirmed when there's a rustling of clothing, none of which involve anything she's still technically wearing. The heat of Kelley's body left for about all of three seconds, before she returns sans shorts._ _

__Kelley chuckled into Kayla's ear, "Is this how you thought your morning would go when you woke up. Me, you, and this wall?"_ _

__Kayla pressed her overheated face onto said wall. The cold drywall cooled her face almost immediately, "Fuck you."_ _

__"What do you think im trying to do?"_ _

__Kelley nestled nicely between Kayla's thighs. Her hips slowly pumping back and forth._ _

__Kayla groaned, "Kelley, please. I want you inside me."_ _

__Kelley resisted the urge to fist pump, "Since you asked so nicely. I'm never letting you live this down, by the way."_ _

__Kayla's sure under any other circumstances, she would have kicked Kelley's feet out from under her, but Kelley's finally inside her and she's not even totally sure what she was even thinking about three seconds earlier._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__"Don't think this means I'm not still mad at you." Kayla huffed petulantly as she adjusted all of her clothing back onto her body, the way it had been when she came in._ _

__"Yeah, I'm not too thrilled with you either at the moment. Truce?" Kelley shuffled back into her shorts. She held out her hand toward Kelley._ _

__Kayla just stared at it, "Fine, truce." Kayla's brows furrowed for a second before widening comically, "Where's your kid?"_ _

__Kelley looked back at her confused for a moment, "Kid? What ki-Oh! She's at my parents for the week. You didn't think I'd have sex with you in my living room if she was here, did you? Of course not, I'd do it in the kitchen."_ _

__"I really can't stand you." Kayla rolled her eyes before heading for the door._ _

__"Then why do you keep talking to me?"_ _

__"Because Hope's already mated!" Kayla shouted over her shoulder._ _

__"Hey! Low blow!"_ _

__Kayla only laughed as she exited the apartment._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__She hates Whole Foods. She really does, but Abby's got allergies and it's the easiest place to shop for her._ _

__She figured now was a good time to go grocery shopping. She wouldn't have to deal with the ankle biter pointing to every single flavor of Cheerios she recognized and pouting until Kelley put it into the basket._ _

__Speaking of Cheerios, Kelley found herself in the cereal aisle. She grabbed a large box of plain Cheerios for Abby, then Lucky Charms for herself._ _

__She was about to continue down the aisle, when her cart clipped someone in the back of the ankle._ _

__"Sorry about that."_ _

__The owner of the ankle turned around with an easy smile._ _

__"It's all good."_ _

__Kelley's face lit up with recognition, only for the it to practically get slapped off her face with recognition of a different variety. Christen smelled like Kayla. Like they had been close. Like they had been _intimate _.____

____

__Kelley is suddenly struck with the urge to maybe punch this woman in the face, she eventually decided that probably wasn't a good look._ _

____

__Kelley assumed Christen can probably sense Kayla on her too and that's not good._ _

____

__She breifly wondered if they were going to have to fight in the cereal aisle of this local Whole Foods, but then the other woman just says, "Hey, Kelley. Long time no see."_ _

____

__"Yeah. It's been a while, Christen."_ _

____

__Christen nodded resolutely before going about her business. Trying to get away from Kelley as quickly as possible._ _

____

__Kelley decided to too, groceries be damned._ _

____

__☆☆☆☆_ _

____

__"You know it's no fun if you don't help." Kayla smiled, she stared at Kelley for a minute, waiting for her to respond._ _

____

__Kelley was supposed to be helping her clean her apartment. Instead, she had just been standing near her front door for the better part of 15 minutes. When Kelley doesn't say anything, Kayla just goes back to cleaning with a small frown._ _

____

__It isn't until 15 more minutes pass, that Kelley actually does speak. Kayla will forever fondly remember this next part as 'My Worst Nightmare Come To Life'._ _

____

__"Do I even have a chance?" Kelley wasn't looking at her. She only stared at the ceiling. Her hands clench to fists in her joggers pockets._ _

____

__"What are you talking about?" Kayla asked softly. She slowly placed her cleaning supplies onto the sofa._ _

____

__"You have Christen Fucking Press knocking on your door, and you still give me the time of day? Why?" Kelley's shoulders shrugged nearly to her ears. She wrestled herself off the wall, then let her eyes drift to Kayla._ _

____

__"Because I-" Kayla's chest hurt. Her eyes stung, and her head ache. She felt like she was curling in on herself._ _

____

__This was the very thing she didn't want to happen. She was supposed to choose one of them before they found out, so she didn't lose both of them._ _

____

__"I thought-I thought. I don't know what I thought, but it doesn't matter anymore." Kelley glared, not necessarily at Kayla. Just at life in general. She glared at the very unfortunate hand she had been dealt._ _

____

__"Wait. How did-Do you know Christen?"_ _

____

__Kelley shrugged again, "We went to college together, played on the soccer team. But that's irrelevant. You could have told me. I wouldn't have gotten mad or anything. Or stopped letting you see Abigail. Dammit, always second place."_ _

____

__"Kel-Kelley, you're not second place." Kayla choked on a sob. She can feel it. Kelley's pulling away from her. And she sort of feels like she's been torn in two._ _

____

__"So, I'm first?" Kelley looked back up at her slowly. A subtle hopeful look bled into her eyes._ _

____

__"Kelley, I-" Kayla swallowed harshly._ _

____

__"Yeah. It sounds like you have a choice to make." Kelley rubbed the back of neck, then headed for the door._ _

____

__"Kelley please." Kayla went to reach for Kelley's hand but stopped herself._ _

____

__"I'm just going to head out." Kelley placed her hand on the door knob. She only hesitated a few beats before shaking her head and opening it._ _

____

__"Kell..." The tears are leaking from her eyes in full force now. Kelley continued to walk out the door._ _

____

__It doesn't slam shut behind her, which Kayla appreciated._ _

____

__She wondered if she should call Christen, but she doesn't think she could handle Christen not picking up. She's not even sure if she could handle Christen actually picking up either, for that matter._ _

____

__What would she even say?_ _

____

__That she was sorry? That she didn't mean to hurt anyone?_ _

____

__It all seemed a little too late for that._ _

____

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For those of you who can write smut without even batting an eye. I commend you, because it is so draining for me. But I do my best.


	8. Eight

_"I've lost heart. The forest's scarred. I hear no birds, just TVs and cars." ___

__It had been seven weeks. She knew because she counted. She counted like she was a prisoner waiting for their release day. She counted like she was a seven year old tallying sheep in their head to help them fall asleep._ _

__She counted seven weeks, two days, 5 hours, 37 minutes, and twelve...thirteen...fourteen seconds since she last spoke to either of them._ _

__Well, face to face she should say._ _

__Kelley spoke to her once a week out of obligation. Only to organize days that Kayla hung out with Abigail._ _

__Christen would respond to her texts occasionally. Probably when she felt a bit too bad for not answering her calls._ _

__Somehow, in the middle of all that. Kayla had managed to finish her 3rd year of grad. She's not sure how. She'd been working on autopilot._ _

__She was tired. Exhausted even. And she's not even sure why._ _

__Her phone rung. She'd hate to admit that she had hoped it was one of them. Luckily, she doesn't have to as her hopes were admittedly dashed upon looking at her caller id._ _

__It's her father._ _

__"Hey, Kiddo." Kayla decided not to overthink the dejection in his voice. He better choose his next words carefully because Kayla doesn't think she can take much more of anything really._ _

__"Hey, dad. What's up?"_ _

__"You mind coming down to Mount Sinai? It's your mom."_ _

__Kayla must have murdered someone really important in a past life. Surely, that is the only explanation for why she would deserve any of this._ _

__The rest of her afternoon is performed using the ever allusive autopilot feature of her brain._ _

__She stared at her phone for a few minutes after getting dressed. She can't quite remember if she used it. She doesn't feel any worse than she did before so she assumed she didn't._ _

__Kayla navigated the streets of New York and then the hospital quickly. She had been here a couple of times before._ _

__She caught up with her father and younger brother. Her father doesn't look as concerned as he probably could, and that served to make both siblings feel better._ _

__Kameron, Kayla's younger brother, looked about the same as when Kayla saw him last. Which was 2 years ago. He was in his third year of undergraduate at Yale, and rarely left campus. Kayla wondered when he would have found the time to come back up from Connecticut._ _

__"They just took Maria back to emergency surgery. There were a lot of big words that I honestly think the doctor made up but what I think he was saying it was her kidney's again." George shrugged helplessly._ _

__Kayla just nodded._ _

__"Hey, are you okay? What's going on?"_ _

__Kayla turned around with a raised eyebrow._ _

__"What are you doing here?"_ _

__"You asked me to come."_ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Can you come meet me at Mount Sinai? It's my mom._ _

__I'm so sorry, Kay. I'm stuck at work._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Can you come meet me at Mount Sinai? It's my mom._ _

__Omw_ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__"Oh."_ _

__Apparently she had used her phone._ _

__"Thank you, Kelley." Kayla sniffed._ _

__Abigail is clinging to Kelley's neck sleepily._ _

__Kayla gestured vaguely to the waiting room a few feet away, "You can go sit in there. I'll be there in a bit."_ _

__Kelley looked as though she wanted to say something further, but instead decided against it. She shuffled to the waiting room. Abigail beginning to rouse from her apparent sleep deprivation._ _

__Kayla is true to her word. Twenty minutes later, she sat heavily in an uncomfortable, slightly outdated chair heavily. Her face immediately found the palms of her hands._ _

__"Thank you for coming."_ _

__Kelley shrugged, Abby grumbled at being moved, "It isn't a big deal. You needed someone so I came."_ _

__Kayla, only half listening, nodded slowly._ _

__They sat in silence. The general hustle and bustle of the hospital fluttering around them._ _

__Kelley still looked as though she wanted to say something._ _

__Kayla eventually spoke up. She stared straight ahead into the empty room. "I've been so fucking tired recently. Like for no goddamn reason. And tmi but, I keep going to bathroom like every half hour, and it's not like I've been drinking more than I normally do. I hope I don't have what my mom has."_ _

__Kelley's eyebrows knit together. She thought back to something Kayla wasn't privy to. She grimaced slightly, "No, I don't think you have what your mom has." Kelley doesn't elaborate further._ _

__"I know you probably don't want to here this, but I'm so sorry. To both of you. I met you guys coincidentally on the same day, and I liked you so much, and it all got out of control so quickly." Kayla decided she was all cried out at this point. She shrugged one of her shoulders and shook her head._ _

__"I get it-"_ _

__"You do?"_ _

__"No, but it's okay. I'm still a bit upset, but I think that's just the alpha being stubborn."_ _

__Kayla nodded and took a deep breathe._ _

__"Kiddo?" Kayla turned her head in the direction of her father. He gestured for her to come to him._ _

__George Madison had exactly two emotions. 'Just happy to be here', and 'mildly uncomfortable with what's currently happening'. Those two emotions generally caused his face to do the exact same thing, so he was very hard to read._ _

__"The doc just came back for an update. Your mom is stable and everything is going well. Still going to be in the OR for a couple more hours." It was 'Just happy to be here'._ _

__"Did he say what happened?"_ _

__George shrugged, "I'm sure he would if I asked, but I feel better not knowing."_ _

__"That's fair."_ _

__"Okay, just wanted to let you know. You can go back to your girlfriend now."_ _

__"She's not my girlfriend."_ _

__"Yeah alright. Anyway, love you, kiddo. I'll come get you when she's ready and awake."_ _

__Kayla blushed heavily._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__"Now you said there were two. Where's the other one?" Kayla's mom inquired. She had gotten out of surgery about two hours before. Kayla had urged Kelley to go home in the meantime. Cassandra and Alex were on their way, and Kelley definitely needed to get Abby to bed at a decent hour._ _

__"She got caught up at work. No big deal." Kayla shrugged. She felt a bit bad for Christen. Her mom was moat definitely going to judge her for this._ _

__"I beg to differ, but quite frankly I don't have the energy to rant about it."_ _

__"Thank god."_ _

__Maria slapped Kayla lightly on the hand._ _

__It's then that Kayla's phone rings._ _

__"See, she's calling now." Kayla exclaimed. Her mother rolled her eyes._ _

__"Hey."_ _

__"Hi...I'm sorry I couldn't be there. Some days I really hate my job. But nevermind that, is everything okay?"_ _

__"Yeah. Everything is cool now. My mother is just very dramatic and never does anything half assed." Maria swatted her again._ _

__"Okay, that's great!"_ _

__"I'm sorry, Christen-"_ _

__"You don't have to apologize. It's okay. Um, I'll talk to you again...later." Christen hung up quickly. Kayla tried to hide her pained frown from her mother._ _

__She didn't succeed._ _

__Kayla turned back to her mother. Her lips pursed. Cassandra, who had been sitting uncharacteristically quietly, raised an eyebrow._ _

__Kayla decided to keep quiet._ _

__Unfortunately, it seemed their was only one way to ever get back to somewhere close to where she had been with both Christen and Kelley._ _

__She had to finally make a decision._ _

___Fuck. ____ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you are reading Pariah, sorry for the delay in updates. I want to finish this one before I continue updating the other.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A.N. I highly recommend you listen to What If by SafetySuit either before reading or while reading because it fits this chapter so perfectly it took me half an hour to choose which lyrics to use.

_"If it makes you sad at me, then it's all my fault and let me fix it please." ___

__"You know your problems won't go away if you hide from them, right?" Cassandra asked without looking up from her magazine._ _

__"You know Tiger Beat is a child's magazine, right?" Kayla asked without looking up from her spot on the floor._ _

__Cassandra closed the magazine loudly. She huffed and crossed her arms, "As soon as this baby gets out of me, I'm kicking your ass."_ _

__"Then who's going to feed Alex while you're in the hospital recovering from your injuries?"_ _

__"I can feed myself, thank you very much."_ _

__"I'm not sure you know your left from your right sometimes."_ _

__"You're mean when you're scared and upset." Alex's nose scrunched up. She is not afraid to admit her feelings were a bit hurt. She knew her left from her right, but she was definitely lying about being able to feed herself. She can't cook to save her life._ _

__"I'm not scared or upset."_ _

__"You're a pathological liar, too."_ _

__"Ladies, ladies you're all pretty! Now, will you shut your traps. My blood pressure is spiking because all of your damn yapping."_ _

__"Sorry, mom." Everyone apologized. Even Kameron, who hadn't even been in the original conversation._ _

__All five of them were packed into the medium sized hospital room, save for George whom had to return to work that day._ _

__Kayla sat the closest to her mother, Alex and Cassandra sharing the small cushioned bench built under the window. Kameron sat in an extra plastic chair directly under the suspended 19 inch television, his laptop on his lap currently being used to hack into the hospital's wifi._ _

__"Kayla, apologize for calling Alex stupid." Maria admonished as she fiddled with the television remote. The buttons were huge, that wasn't the problem. The problem was that the hospital seemed to have only two working channels. Fox News and...oh, the other one just lost signal. Just Fox News._ _

__Maria opted for turning off the television._ _

__"I rather not." Kayla answered plainly. Her knees were tucked under her chin and she still stared at that spot on the linoleum floor._ _

__Maria swatted her thigh._ _

__"Kayla Ariel Madison."_ _

__Kayla just grumbled._ _

__"Your middle name is 'Ariel'? Like the mermaid?" Alex started to laugh loudly. She immediately stopped upon the shoe hitting her square in the gut._ _

__"No. Not like the mermaid, Knothead." Kayla gestured for Alex to give her back her shoe. Alex did so with a scowl._ _

__"Why is she being so mean?" Cassandra pouted._ _

__Maria huffed, "Her heat's about to start. So, she's grumpy. Also, she got herself into a unforgiving situation and it's all starting to unravel in front of her." Maria looked as though she had even more explanation to give but thought better of it._ _

__Kayla eyed her mother suspiciously, "How'd you know all that?"_ _

__"Mother's intuition."_ _

__Cassandra's eyes squinted in determination, "Time for 'Operation: Just Pick One! Damn!'."_ _

__Everyone nodded along in agreement except for Kayla._ _

__"I've got the Pros and Cons T-Table pulled up!" Kameron gestured to his laptop. Cassandra gave him a thumbs up._ _

__Kayla stared at her omega brother, "What do you know about any of this?"_ _

__"Oh, Cass and I talk once a week about you because you don't tell us anything. We were going to stage an intervention within the coming week if all of this hadn't happened." He said as though it was obvious._ _

__Kayla just rolled her eyes. Her brother knowing her business was the least of her problems at this point._ _

__"Okay, but if we're going to have this conversation, Alex has to leave."_ _

__"What? Why?"_ _

__"Because you're an alpha and you wouldn't get it."_ _

__"Try me."_ _

__"...Fine."_ _

__Cassandra clapped excitedly, "Yay! It's finally happening. Kam, make sure you share the spreadsheet with your mom and I." She pulled her MacBook air out of large handbag and then delicately placed Maria's laptop on her overbed table._ _

__Kameron nodded just as excitedly. Maria also nodded appreciatively as the group got their data together._ _

__Kayla wondered when her life got this out of hand._ _

__At least Alex looked just as lost as her._ _

__"Um, babe? Is all of this necessary? I think you're scaring-"_ _

__"Shhhhhh, honey," Cassandra blindly pressed a few fingers against Alex's lips, "I know exactly what I'm doing."_ _

__"...ok..." Alex looked to Kayla with a mildly frightened look on her face. She shook her head slowly as if to say 'I tried. I am so sorry for what you're about to go through."_ _

__"Okay. First question! Who have you thought of more recently?" Kameron asked as he typed furiously on his HP._ _

__"I'm not sure what any of this is going to help."_ _

__"Answer the question!" Kameron urged._ _

__"God! I'm thinking about them both constantly, but I guess, Christen because I spoke to her last."_ _

__Kameron nodded resolutely and continued to type._ _

__"Next question, if they were both drowning, and you could only save one, who would you save?" Cassandra asked, her eyes narrowing intensely at her best friend._ _

__"Alex, do you feel like this is a trap? Because I feel like this is a trap!" Kayla inquired. She scooted her chair further away from everybody._ _

__Alex slowly pulled her arm from behind her wife, she then scooted away from her and to the opposite end of the bench, "Yes. This feels exactly like a trap."_ _

__"Okay, you don't have to answer that one." Maria glared at Cassandra who just shrugged._ _

__"How about this one? Who do you miss the most?"_ _

__Kayla threw her hands in the air in exasperation, "Cass asked me that months ago! Don't you think if it was that simple I wouldn't be in this situation right now?! I miss both of them because they won't fucking talk to me! And I don't blame them. I wouldn't want to talk to me either." Kayla sat back into her chair with a watery sigh._ _

__"Can I give it a try?" Alex raised her hand sheepishly, "Without all the spreadsheets and interrogations." Alex directed the second part at three specific people._ _

__The three specific people all reluctantly closed their laptops._ _

__"Everyone else is, so why not?"_ _

__"Well, first. I think you need to lay off yourself a bit. Yeah, you put yourself and them into a sucky situation, so what? Get over that. There's no going back to change anything, so why wallow in it? Relax and forgive yourself." Alex spoke softly, her forearms resting against her thighs as she leaned forward._ _

__Kayla's shoulders sagged just enough to let Alex know she was getting through to her._ _

__"I'm sure you know what traits you value in a partner, and I'm not going to ask you what those traits are because I'm sure Cass would start to log your answers again. Besides, it's none of our business." Cassandra glared at Alex._ _

__"You just have to apply those traits. Organize your morals which you have clearly been fast and loose with lately. Ask yourself questions like 'Are you really ready to be family woman? A mother?' And 'Are you okay with your mate having her work really high on her priorities list?' Think about what you want. Think about what you need. Think about who would be the best alpha for you. And then when you have all those answers to all those questions and you're all thinked out. Stop thinking and just go talk to her." Alex smiled softly as Kayla nodded slowly._ _

__Cassandra stared at her wife, her mouth wide opened, "I have absolutely no idea why, but that was the sexiest thing you have ever done." Alex blushed heavily._ _

__"Yeah, Al. When did you get to be so smart?" Kayla teased._ _

__"I have a B.S. in Biochemistry from NYU." Alex deadpanned._ _

__"Yeah but you're a soccer player. It's not like you're doing anything with it."_ _

__"Alright, you got me there."_ _

__"Knock, knock. Hello, Mrs. Madison. Your discharge papers are ready." The doctor explained as she stood at the door, not wanting to intrude._ _

__"Oh thank God! I was going to jump out the window if it had been another hour."_ _

__"Mom!"_ _

__"What? You would've too. Now shut up and help me into my clothes."_ _

__Kayla did as told._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__Once Kayla was sure her mother was settled at her home with her father. Kayla went back to hers._ _

__She sat heavily on her couch._ _

__Alex said to think. So, that's what she was going to do._ _

__In the back of her mind, she knew whom it was supposed to be the minute Alex finished talking._ _

__Sometimes, you just need to be told to get over yourself and put things into perspective._ _

__But she chugs on anyway._ _

__If only to double, triple check._ _

__Some thoughts involve Alex's suggested quandaries and others Kayla came up with all by herself._ _

__It's about 5 minutes in that's she's already noticing a very clear pattern. The same name keeps coming up. Amid Yes' and Nos and we're just going to have to work on thats._ _

__It hit her so harshly she's not even sure why this was a struggle to begin with. The revelation just about sucks all the nagging anxiety and subsequent energy out of her brain. This must have been the "thinked out" part Alex was talking about._ _

__That meant the next step was to stop thinking._ _

__It's easier said than done, but she managed._ _

__The last step._ _

__Just go talk to her._ _

__Kayla nodded with finality._ _

__She was going to do just that, but first she needed to fix something._ _

__☆☆☆☆_ _

__"I'm sorry." Kayla said. She may be done feeling sorry for herself, but that didn't mean she couldn't feel sorry for others._ _

__"For what?"_ _

__"It-I can't keep doing this to you. It's not fair."_ _

__"I-I understand, I guess."_ _

__"I shouldn't have led you on. Made you think-"_ _

__"It's okay, Kayla. It really is. But I'm going to need some time before we can get back to normal if I can ever do that, with you again."_ _

__"I get it. I'll see you...later?"_ _

__She doesn't get an answer. Just a pained look and then a sort of wobbly shrug._ _

__She has a feeling that's all she'll get from her for a while. And surprisingly, she's a little more okay with that then she thought she would be._ _


	10. Ten

_"I'ma get your heart racing in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight. Let you put your hands on me in my skin-tight jeans, be your teenage dream tonight." ___

__Kayla knocked on the door insistently. Her heat is in full swing now, and she can practically smell her alpha through the door._ _

__The door swung open with a flourish, "Where's the fire?!"_ _

__Kayla squared her shoulders. She stood up as tall as she could while fighting that empty feeling in her core._ _

__"Where's Abigail?"_ _

__"With Hope and Carli. Why-" Kayla cut Kelley off with a bruising kiss that ends up pushing them back into Kelley's apartment._ _

__"God Kayla, are you in heat?" Kelley already knew the answer. Kayla smelled amazing. Almost like warm, fresh linen and a whole lot of home._ _

__"You're so smart." Kayla seemed a bit miffed about breaking apart, but Kelley needed to have some things cleared up first. She had to ask her questions now because once Kayla was really immersed in the throws of her heat, there wouldn't be much of any coherency for a while._ _

__"And you want me to help you through it. Did you want me to bite you? Do you want to be my mate?"_ _

__"Yes, Kelley."_ _

__"...Cool." Kelley sniffled._ _

__"Are you crying?"_ _

__"No. There's like a lot of dust around here and-"_ _

__Kayla latched back on to Kelley's lips with a deep groan. Kelley chuckled a bit._ _

__"Unless you want to be interrupted you're going to have to stop and let me tell Hope and Carli they need to keep Abby a bit longer."_ _

__Kayla whined._ _

__"I know, but calm down for a second."_ _

__Clearly Kelley had no idea what it was like to be in heat. Calming down for a second was just about out of the question._ _

__Kelley's not looking at her, she's instead looking for her phone (it's in her hand) frantically. Kayla decided this was the perfect time to start fighting her clothes off of her body. If only because she's starting to overheat._ _

__"Oh, I was holding it!"_ _

___The One With The Kid: Take Abby to Disneyworld or something for the next like three days_ _ _

___Scary Fairy Godmother: uh...why?_ _ _

___The One With The Kid: Kayla_ _ _

___Scary Fairy Godmother: Say no more👀👌🏼_ _ _

___Scary Fairy Godmother: P.S. I told you so ____ _

____Hope hadn't told her shit, but that was neither here nor there at this point._ _ _ _

____Kelley placed her phone into her back pocket. She turned back around to Kayla._ _ _ _

____"When the hell did you get naked?!"_ _ _ _

____Kayla doesn't really say much of anything in answer. She's splayed across Kelley's couch, her hand hidden between her thighs._ _ _ _

____"Well, we're definitely not doing this on the couch."_ _ _ _

____Kayla is not listening to Kelley._ _ _ _

____"You're going to make me carry you, aren't you?" Kelley is already performing the task before she even finishes her own sentence._ _ _ _

____The apartment isn't that big, so it doesn't take long for Kelley to navigate the hallway connecting the livingroom to the bedrooms._ _ _ _

____She set Kayla down on the bed before frantically wrestling off her own clothing, then joining Kayla on the mattress._ _ _ _

____Kelley ran her hand up the length of Kayla's side. Kayla pressed herself into Kelley's cool palm as much as she could._ _ _ _

____"Remember that time I got you to beg. Yeah, I'm totally going to do that again."_ _ _ _

____Kayla's scowl is extremely lackluster by normal standards. And it all but disappeared as Kelley pressed her lips to the side of her throat._ _ _ _

____"Kell." Kayla mewled._ _ _ _

____Kelley slid up to the omega's ear, a direct contrast to her left hand which was slithering down Kayla's stomach to replace her hand between her legs._ _ _ _

____"Yes?"_ _ _ _

____Kayla jerked in response to Kelley's fingers coming into delicate contact with her center._ _ _ _

____"Please, need your knot." Kayla's words leave her mouth in small pants. Kelley hummed lightly, and Kayla swore she could feel it._ _ _ _

____"Hm. That was easier than I thought it would be." Kelley mumbled, her lips grazed over Kayla's ear as she spoke. She easily batted away Kayla's hand and circled her fingers._ _ _ _

____"Fuck, you're stunning."_ _ _ _

____Kelley occupied her opposite hand with trailing her fingers over a pert nipple, drawing a small gasp._ _ _ _

____Kayla keened, she brung her hand up to claw at Kelley's shoulder, urging her to provide her with more._ _ _ _

____Kelley's lips smashed down onto Kayla's. She readily gave up control to Kelley. It would be a bit redundant to keep up the ruse now._ _ _ _

____Eventually, Kelley does start doing what Kayla wanted her to._ _ _ _

____Kelley's fingers left the sensitivity of Kayla's clit to do the same to her entrance. Only this time, she doesn't tease for long. Her index finger slipped into Kayla easily._ _ _ _

____Kayla moaned loudly, her back arching enough to push her into Kelley slightly._ _ _ _

____"You're so wet." She continued to pump her finger in and out slowly. Partially distracted by the pleasure playing across her omega's face._ _ _ _

____Kayla's just about gasping now._ _ _ _

____"Kelley. More. Please."_ _ _ _

____Another finger of the alpha's slipped into the darker woman, the resulting whimper is probably the loudest one yet and just as desperate as all its predecessors._ _ _ _

____She pulled out then pushed back in slowly, her palm catching on the omega's swollen clit._ _ _ _

____Kelley sped up without having to be urged to. She could see exactly what Kayla wanted in her face._ _ _ _

____Kayla's mewls and whimpers grew in pitch and frequency. Her hips bucked up into Kelley's hand on just about every thrust._ _ _ _

____"Fuck!"_ _ _ _

____Kayla released into Kelley's hand soon after. She's eased over the edge by Kelley's light nips at her collarbone._ _ _ _

____After taking a much needed moment to catch her breath, Kayla pulled Kelley closer to her and in for a properly impatient kiss._ _ _ _

____Kelley settled between Kayla's legs, she lined herself up with the omega's entrance, keeping an eye out for any signs of discomfort from Kayla._ _ _ _

____Kayla took in a sharp intake of breath. Her lip caught between her teeth, as Kelley pushed into her haltingly._ _ _ _

____They groan simultaneously as Kelley bottomed out._ _ _ _

____Kelley knew neither of them would last very long. She can tell Kayla is close again and she's not that far behind. She's sure under different circumstances that she would be embarrassed, but neither of them can bring themselves to care that much._ _ _ _

____Kelley's hips pick up speed on their own accord. Kayla's nails dig into Kelley's shoulder as they do._ _ _ _

____Kelley eyed a spot on the right side of Kayla's slender neck for her mark to go._ _ _ _

____"F-fuck, Alpha, faster." Kelley agreed fairly easily, squaring her hips and picking up the pace. She pounded into the omega below her, moaning deeply._ _ _ _

____Her knot had formed quickly, and it only took a couple more thrusts of her hips for it to slip into the omega under her._ _ _ _

____Kayla stretched her neck as she released, presenting the expanse of skin to Kelley. The alpha growled lowly, latching onto the woman's neck. The delicate skin of her neck doesn't break and Kelley took pride in that. Any pain that Kayla would have felt is quickly overtaken by the visceral relief she feels of their bond coming together._ _ _ _

____Kayla clenched around Kelley, causing her to finally fall over the edge. Kayla is thrown into another gentler spasm at the feeling of Kelley spilling inside of her._ _ _ _

____Kelley pulled her hips back experimentally. Mentally clapping herself on the back when Kayla groaned at the tug._ _ _ _

____She carefully flipped so Kayla was on top of her and she didn't crush her when her arms finally gave out._ _ _ _

____"I feel like we should high five or something after that." Kelley suggested._ _ _ _

____Kayla blinked at her tiredly, "Something's wrong with you."_ _ _ _

____"Yeah, but you love me." It came out a bit questioning despite Kelley's probable attempts to keep it a statement._ _ _ _

____"Yeah, I do love you." Kayla lets her head rest in the crook of Kelley's neck._ _ _ _

____Kelley took this opportunity to test out a theory. She stuck her nose in the crook if Kayla's neck and inhaled deeply. Her theory is just about instantly confirmed._ _ _ _

____"Yeah, that's what I thought."_ _ _ _

____"I'm sorry, did you just sniff me?"_ _ _ _

____"Needed to confirm something."_ _ _ _

____"And what might that be?"_ _ _ _

____"You're pregnant."_ _ _ _

____"I don't think it works that quickly, Kelley." Kayla very distantly acknowledged that this did explain a few things._ _ _ _

____"Not talking about from today, though if you weren't already, you definitely would be now. I'm talking about a couple months back. I was a bit too occupied to think about protection. I had my suspicions back at the hospital, but I couldn't like just stick my nose in your neck. And you would have kicked me if I just handed you a pregnancy test." Kelley shrugged as much as she could with a person laying on top of her._ _ _ _

____"You didn't think that would have been pertinent information!?"_ _ _ _

____"I wasn't sure!"_ _ _ _

____"We will resume this conversation when I'm not in heat."_ _ _ _

____Almost as soon as those words left her mouth, Kayla was out of it again._ _ _ _

____☆☆☆☆_ _ _ _

____Kelley thinks Kayla tried to kill her during her heat. She just kept going, like she had absolutely no need for sleep or food, which Kelley knew not to be true._ _ _ _

____Kayla barely had any recollection of any conversations they had (well except for one) while she was in heat, so she thinks Kelley is full of it._ _ _ _

____Speaking of the one she does remember..._ _ _ _

____"So..." Kayla inquired._ _ _ _

____"So?" Kelley is currently in the middle of a staring contest with her three year old. The three year old is winning._ _ _ _

____"I'm pregnant..." Kayla continued._ _ _ _

____The three year old won._ _ _ _

____"I mean we should probably see a doctor to confirm, but I'm pretty sure. It's hard to explain how I know. It's like there's you and then something else. Something extra? Like I can smell you and you plus something different." Kelley grimaced. That was a horrible explanation, but it was the best she could do._ _ _ _

____Kayla chuckled lightly, "I believe you, Kelley. That's not really what I meant. I mean what does it mean for us?"_ _ _ _

____Kelley removed Abby from the counter and placed her on the floor. The toddler ran away hurriedly only to smack into Kayla's legs._ _ _ _

____"Well, I imprinted on you-"_ _ _ _

____That explained why Kayla could never tell who it was based off of emotions alone. Christen isn't very intense in general and everytime Kelley had an intense emotion Kayla was already having that same intense emotion as well. Hard to tell the difference between very sad and also very sad._ _ _ _

____"-and I mated you, and I got you pregnant, I think I successfully managed to trick you into sticking with me for the rest of our lives." Kelley smiled triumphantly._ _ _ _

____"You seem way too proud of that." Kayla bent down to pick up Abby. She settled her on her hip._ _ _ _

____"Oh, that's because I am. I'd even do a little victory dance if I thought I wouldn't trip and bust my head open." Kelley settled for patting herself on her back enthusiastically._ _ _ _

____Kayla didn't reward any of that with a response, but she did gaze at Kelley lovingly. She doesn't think she could hide that even if she tried anymore._ _ _ _

____"I-"_ _ _ _

____"If you're about to apologize again, save it. I've told you, it's okay. Besides, I won." Kelley scooted from behind the kitchen island and approached Kayla. Kayla doesn't try to convince Kelley that she wasn't going to apologize, because Kelley could read her now. Kelley just knew._ _ _ _

____"I don't know how I feel about you implying I was something to be won."_ _ _ _

____Kelley smiled softly, "I got you, didn't I? Which is exactly what I wanted. So yeah, I won."_ _ _ _

____Kayla sighed wistfully as Kelley placed a soft kiss to her cheek, ignoring Abby's glare, "So you were first place after all, huh?"_ _ _ _

____Kelley smirked, "Always."_ _ _ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I didn't disappoint anyone too bad, lol. If you knew that it was Kelley very early on, that is perfectly fine. Kelley and Christen were never supposed to be dead even for Kayla (and I think if you go back and read, they never really were), because that's not very realistic. Before anyone asks, no I'm not writing a Christen alternate ending because that seems like a copout to me, but if enough of you want it I can give you an entirely new separate ABO story for Christen and an OC.


	11. Sequel Announcement

I started a sequel called Vellichor because why not? I have nothing else to do anyway.

It's up and posted on my page so check it out if you're intrested!


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